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Drum Taps in Dixie 



DRUM TAPS 
IN DIXIE 



MEMORIES OF A 
DRUMMER BOY J>. 

I 8 6 I - 1865 



BY je 

DELAVAN S. MILLER 



Watertown, N. Y. 
"3fuR3erfor6-"3ifolbrooK (Co. 

1905 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

DEC 14 1905 

CoDyrlght Entry . 
cuss A. XXc. No. 
' COPY B. ' 



Copyrighted 1905 
By Delavan S. Millbr 

Published December, 1905 



HUNGERFORD-MOLBROOK CO. 
WATERTOWN, N.Y. 



Affectionately dedicated 

to my Wife and 

Children. 



Preface 

g CHANCE meeting with a comrade who was 
instrumental in saving from capture a 
piece of artillery at the second battle of 
Bull Run suggested one of the several sketches 
grouped together in this volume. 

Memory awakened furnished material for those 
that followed, each article recalling faces, forms, 
scenes and incidents from out of the misty past. 

"Awake but one, and lo ! 
What myriads rise!" 

The writer has enjoyed his reminiscing. It has 
been a labor of love, so to speak, enabling him in 
a measure to live the old days over again. 

The articles have been written at odd times af- 
ter business hours, and should not be scrutenized 
too closely from a literary standpoint. 

The writing of the memories of a drummer boy 
has been a source of pleasure and rest to the writ- 
er, who sincerely hopes that the reading of them 
rnay not weary those who, in their hours of rest, 
may scan these pages. 

Del A VAN S. Miller. 




Prelude — The Drum's Story 

ES, I am a drum, and a very old drum at 
that. l\Iy leather ears are twisted and 
brown. My shiny sides are scratched and 
marred. IMy once b-^autiful white head is patched 
and blood-stained. Yet, I am loved and tenderly 
cared for; have my own cosy corner in the attic 
and am better provided for than many of the brave 
men who fought for the Union. So I am content. 
I have lived my life. Was ever ready for duty. 
JNIade lots of noise. Have led men on the march 
and in battle. Now I am laid aside, grov.'ing old 
like all the boys of '61. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

I 

CHAPTER I. 

OFF FOR THE WAR. 

^^W^ HEN the news was flashed across the 
^ I J country that Fort Sumter had been fired 
V^^ upon the writer was a 12-year-old boy 
residing in West Carthage. The events 
of those days stand forth in his memory Hke the 
hillcrests of a landscape. 

The shot electrified the north, and the martial 
current that went from man to man was imparted 
to the boys. Favorite sports and pastimes lost 
their zest. Juvenile military companies paraded 
the streets every evening and mimic battles were 
fought every Saturday afternoon. 

The flag lowered over Fort Sumter was unfurled 
everywhere. Flags cost money in those days, too, 
but they were flung to the breeze from the tops 
of churches, school houses, business places and the 
homes of the rich and the poor. I used to go up 
on the roof of my home nearly every day to count 
the new banners. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The rendezvous for the boys of our neighbor- 
hood was Jim Corey's blacksmith shop. Jim was a 
typical "village blacksmith" with a hearty greet- 
ing for every one, old and young. The boys could 
always count on Jim's sympathy if they had a 
stone bruise, got a licking at home or lacked ten 
cents of the price of a circus ticket. 

Corey's shop was also a favorite meeting place 
for the men. Here they would assemble after sup- 
per and discuss the all-absorbing topic, the war. 

One of the most regular in attendance was 
"Wash" Hopkins, as he was familiarly called. A 
particular nail keg with a piece of buffalo skin 
thrown over the end was the seat always reserved 
for him. He usually allowed the others to do the 
talking, but when he had anything to say it was 
right to the point. 

Almost everybody was of the opinion that the 
South was putting up a big game of bluff and that 
the affair would blow over quickly. 

On one occasion those gathered in the black- 
smith shop had been discussing the situation and 
were pretty unanimous that the rebellion would be 
crushed out in sixty days. "Wash" roused him- 
self and quietly remarked: "Guess you'd better 
make it ninety, boys." 

At another time a young man was telling those 
assembled that he had enlisted in a company of 
sharpshooters ; that they were going to pick off 
the rebel officers and artillerymen as fast as they 

10 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

showed themselves, which would demoralize the 
troops and send them flying from the field. "That's 
all right," says "Wash," "but what do you sup- 
pose the other fellows are going to do while you're 
shooting at them? Perhaps they may have sharp- 
shooters, too," 

How little I thought in those early days of the 
war that Corey and I would be soldiering in the 
same company and regiment a few mon,ths later. 

I recall the thrilling war meetings that were 
held in the churches and school houses. There was 
scarcely a place in the county where there was a 
store and postoffice that did not have its war meet- 
ing each week. It is worthy of mention that the 
most enthusiastic speakers on such occasions were 
eager to enlist — others. There comes to my mind 
the names of several who were always urging 
others to enlist, but who stayed at home and coined 
money while others fought, and after the war 
labored to have refunded to them by the taxpayers 
the money that they had expended for a substitute, 

Carthage sent volunteers promptly in response 
to Lincoln's call, and a few days after the fall of 
Sumter about two dozen young men left to join 
the old 35th New York infantry. 

There was no railroad to Carthage in those days, 
and they rode away in wagons drawn by four 
horses. The scene comes before me as I write. The 
sad partings, the waving banners, the cheers of 
the multitude who had gathered to see them off to 

11 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the war. Those were anxious, exciting days that 
the present generation know but little about. 

Among that party of first volunteers was a fav- 
orite cousin of the writer who was scarcely seven- 
teen years old. . The one thing above all others 
that I wished as I saw him ride away was that I 
was old enough to go, too. 

Patriotism ran high in Carthage, and the town 
sent more than its share of volunteers in the early 
days of the war before there were any big boun- 
ties and when the pay was $11 per month. 

One bright morning in the fall of 1861 a 
motherless lad of less than thirteen saw his father 
go away with a company of men that had been re- 
cruited for the Morgan Flying Artillery, then 
being organized at Staten Island, in New York 
harbor. He wanted to go with his father, but the 
suggestion was not listened to. 

After the regiment was sent to Virginia Capt. 
Smith of the Carthage company returned home 
after more men. He brought a letter to the little 
lad from his father and, patting the boy on his 
head, asked him in a joking way how he would like 
to be a soldier. This gave the boy an opportunity 
that he was wanting, and he pleaded with the 
officer to take him back with him. The mother was 
dead, the home was broken up; the little fellow 
argued that he would be better off with his father. 

The tender hearted captain sympathized with 
the boy, but said he did not know what he could do 

12 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

with such a httle fellow. The boy would not be put 
off, however. He had inherited persistency froui 
his Scottish ancestors, and after much importun- 
ing the captain said 'that he did not know how it 
could be managed, but he would try to take the 
boy back with him. 

In March, 1862, when two months past thir- 
teen years old, the one of whom I write started for 
the war with a squad of recruits in charge of 
Sergt. Wesley Powell. Strange to relate, this 
same Powell, two years and a half later, had 
charge of a detachment of soldiers carrying ra- 
tions to their comrades on the firing line in front 
of Petersburg, when a shell burst so close to them 
that several were stunned, although not seriously 
injured, and among them was the boy who went to 
the war with the sergeant so long before. 

A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SOLDIER. 

Forty-two years and over have not dimmed the 
recollections of the day when the start was made 
for the war. The boy got up bright and early 
and wen't all around among his neighboring play- 
mates and bade them good-bye. Didn't he feel 
important, though.^ 

The party rode to Watertown in wagons, and 
after a supper at the old American hotel, boarded 
a train for New York. It was the first ride on the 
cars for our young volunteer. 

The boy might live to be one thousand years 
13 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

old, but he could scarcely forget Broadway as it 
appeared to him that spring day in 1862. 

He remembers that the next day when they were 
on a train passing through New Jersey, a party 
of boys from a military school boarded the car. 
They were dressed in natty new uniforms, of which 
they were evidently very proud. Sergt. Powell 
wore the regulation artillery uniform of that 
period, which was quite stunning with the red fac- 
ings and brass epaulets, and a hat of black felt 
caught up at the side and ornamented with a black 
plume. Powell got into conversation with the 
school boys and finally brought them over to where 
his party was seated and said: "I want to have 
you meet a little boy who, athough he is not in 
uniform, is going to be a real soldier." 

If there are any old veterans reading this, they 
will have most pleasant recollections and ever feel 
grateful to the good people of Philadelphia for the 
treatment 'they received whenever they passed 
through the city going to or from the war. No 
boy in blue was ever allowed to pass through the 
city without being well fed and comfortably cared 
for, if he remained there over night. Our party 
passed the night there and took an early train for 
Washington. 

Baltimore had earned an unenviable reputation 
by its hostility to the northern soldiers and there 
Avas always apprehension that a train bearing any 
soldiers might be stoned or fired upon. Sergt. 

14 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Powell was quite a joker and he had Avorked upon 
the fears of the party in his charge so much that 
two or three were badly frightened when the train 
pulled into the city. The reception was in marked 
contrast with that in Philadelphia, but the pas- 
sage through Baltimore was without incident. 

From Baltimore to Washington there was abun- 
dant evidence that the field of operations was not 
far distant. The railroad was heavily guarded, 
and camps of soldiers were frequently seen. The 
boy who two days before had left a quiet country 
town had to pinch himself occasionally to see if 
he were really awake and that it was not all a 
dream. 

Washington swarmed with soldiers. Troops 
were camped right in the heart of the city. Heav- 
ily laden wagons with the wheels in mud and ruts 
clear up to the hubs were pulled through Pennsyl- 
vania avenue by six and eight mule teams. The 
capitol and the Washington monument were then 
unfinished. 

Our party made a shor't stay in the city and 
took boat for Alexandria, an old-time southern 
town with hordes of negroes, slave pens and other 
reminders of the ante-bellum days. 

It was a three mile walk to the forts occupied by 
the Second New York Heavy Artillery. The reg- 
iment that afternoon was practicing firing the big 
cannons in Fort Worth. There were some 32 and 
64 and two 100-pounders in the fort, and the small 

15 



Drum Taps In Dixie. 

boy who had never heard any ordnance except an 
old moss-back cannon at a Fourth of July celebra- 
tion remembers that the cold chills went creeping 
up his back as the party drew near the fort, for 
the earth fairly trembled when the big "dogs of 
war" barked. The father had not been notified 
that his son was coming to join him, and conse- 
quently you may be sure that he was more than 
surprised when he saw an officer leading by the 
hand a little lad whom he supposed was so far 
away. 

The father was a man of few words — "what 
couldn't be cured must be endured," so he brushed 
two or three tear drops away and went back to the 
command of his gun squad and the boy sat down on 
a pile of cannon balls, smelled burning powder and 
heard the roar of the big guns until he was not 
sure but that he would prefer to be back in York 
state. 

This was in the early days of the war and there 
was not much system about anything. Probably 
if it had been a year later and the boy had had to 
pass a regular examination and muster he would 
have been sent home. But he, with the rest of the 
recruits, was merged into the company without 
any formalities. It did puzzle the captain, 
though, to know what to do with the youngster, 
and one day when the regiiment was out for in- 
spection the colonel said to Capt. Smith: "Mein 

16 




Sergt. I.oten Miller 
Father of Author. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Gott, captain ! pe you taking soldiers from the 
cradles?" 

Smith said: "I know I have got a number of 
quite young soldiers, colonel, but you will find 
that Co. H will keep its end up with any organ- 
ization in the regiment." 

The first night in camp the boy did not sleep 
well. The artillery practice in the fort after his 
arrival and the thunder of the 32 and 64-pounders 
and the smell of the burning powder weakened his 
boyish enthusiasm somewhat. And then the bed 
he had to sleep on was something different from 
what he had been accustomed to. So after the 
bugles had sounded "lights out" he lay awake a 
long time, listening to the singing of the whip- 
poorwills and thought of the great change that 
had come into his life in so short a time, and won- 
dered if the realities of a soldier's life would meet 
his expectations. 

A NIGHT ALARM. 

Suddenly like a clap of thunder from a clear 
sky came the report of a musket outside the fort. 
The bugles sounded the alarm, and the drummers 
in the neighboring camps rattled off the "long 
roll" with a recklessness characteristic of youth. 

"Turn out ! Turn out ! Turn out !" the bugles 
sounded. "Fall in ! Fall in ! Fall in !" yelled the 
orderly sergeants, and, half dressed, the men were 
marched into the fort and stationed at the guns. 
2 17 



n ^-^ t* ^'^''^'^ ^^^^ Taps in Dixie. 
^1^ *' "^ /mules of the wagon trains, and after a couple of 
[jiowhere else for him to go. 

The commotion soon subsided and there was 
not a sound except for the neighing of the horses 
in the cavalry camps and the whinnering of the 
mules of the wagon train, and after a couple of 
hours' waiting the men were marched back to their 
company streets. In the morning it was learned 
that the alarm was occasioned by the attempt of 
a detachment of Mosby's men to steal some horses 
from a cavalry camp. 

These midnight excursions of the famous Con- 
federate "Rough Rider" Avere of frequent occur- 
rence during the first two years of the war. 

THE FIRST UNIFORM. 

The young recruit's first uniform was a bad 
fit. The coat sleeves and pants were several inches 
too long, but a camp tailor fixed them and the first 
day the boy wore the suit he did as every other 
volunteer before him had done, went and posed 
for a *'tintype" before a background represent- 
ing various scenes of military life. Some of the 
specimens of the photographer's art in those days 
were enough to make a horse laugh. 

The Second New York had been organized as a 
light artillery regiment and were then known as 
the "Morgan Flying Artillery," so called in hon- 
or of Gov. Morgan, but only one company got 
their guns and horses when it was decided that no 
more light batteries were wanted. So the balance 

18 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

of the regiment was turned into heavy artillery 
(heavy infantry.) 

A DRUMMER BOY. 

The change called for fifers and drummers in- 
stead of buglers, and the Jefferson county boy 
was the first drummer the regiment had, his drum 
being a present from the officers at Fort Worth. 

A full regimental drum corps was soon organ- 
ized, and right here it may be proper to say that 
an old army drum corps in the sixties could make 
music. A boy would not "pass muster" in those 
days unless he could do the double and single drag 
with variations, execute the "long roll," imitate 
the rattle of musketry, besides various other ac- 
complishments with the sticks. And when a dozen 
or more of the lads, with their caps set saucily 
on the sides of their heads, led a regiment in a 
review with their get-out-of-the-way-Old-Dan- 
Tuckerish style of music, it made the men in the 
ranks step off as though they were bound for a 
Donnybrook fair or some other pleasure excur- 
sion. 

THE FIRST DRUM. 

It is with feelings of real tenderness that I 
write of my first drum. It was none of the com- 
mon sort such as furnished by Uncle Sam, but was 
the best that money could buy, and was a gift 
from the officers at Fort Worth in the spring of 
1862. A requisition for instruments was a long 
time in being filled, owing to the vast amount of 
19 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

red tape in use, so the officers at our fort pre- 
sented me with a drum. 

How well I remember the day when I accom- 
panied Capt. Joslin to Washington, and he, tak- 
ing me into a large music store on Pennsylvania 
avenue, ordered the clerk to let me have the best 
drum in the store. 

How anxious I was to get back to our camp in 
Virginia so I could test it, and how my heart went 
pit-a-pat, as, alone, I marched with my new drum 
down the line at dress parade the next day. Sev- 
eral months later my precious drum was put out 
of action by a piece of a rebel shell at Bull Run 
and was among the trophies gathered up by the 
confederates in the stampede that followed. 

Its loss I regretted exceedingly, for its equal 
in tone and other good qualities I never tapped the 
sticks to again. It was a beauty, too ; and was my 
first drum. 

drummers' duties. 

It is hardly to be wondered at that the drum- 
mer boys of the 60s got to be very proficient in 
the handling of the sticks, for when in camp they 
were having practice from early morn until late 
at night, and many a time they had to get out in 
the night and beat the "long roll" for ten or fif- 
teen minutes. 

They were the early risers of the camps, too, 
for at daybreak the fifers and drummers of a 



Drum Taps In Dixie. 

regiment would all assemble and sound the re- 
veille, which was sevei-al minutes exercise of the 
most vigorous kind. 

The followng verses on the reveille were writ- 
ten by a soldier, Michael O'Connor, a sergeant in 
the 140th New York, and have been pronounced 
by competent critics as among the "finest lyric 
lines in the language." 

SONG or THE DRUMS. 

"The morning is cheery, my boys, arouse! 
The dew shines bright on the, chestnut boughs, 
And the sleepy mist on the river lies, 
Though the east is flushed with crimson dyes. 
Awake ! Awake ! Awake ! 
O'er field and wood and brake. 
With glories newly born, 
Comes on the blushing morn. 
Awake ! Awake !" 

"You have dreamed of your homes and friends all night, 

You have basked in vour sweetheart's smiles so bright; 

Come part with them all for a while again — 

Be lovers in dreams; when awake be men. 

Turn out ! Turn out ! Turn out ! 

The east is all aglow. 

Turn out! Turn out!" 

"From every valley and hill there come 
The clamoring voices of fife and drum; 
And out in the fresh, cool morning air 
The soldiers are swarming everywhere. 
FalTin ! Fall in ! Fall in ! 
Every man in his place. 
Fall in ! Fall in ! Fall in ! 
Each with a cheerful face. 
Fall in ! Fall in !" 

21 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The next duty of the fifers and drummers was 
to sound the sick call. The boys made up some 
appropriate verses which I cannot recall except 
one line: 

"Come and get your quinine, quinine, quinine." 

The drummers were active participants in the 
guard mounting exercises which took place about 
9 o'clock in the morning, and usually there was 
from one to two hours' practice among the musi- 
cians in the forenoon, which was repeated in the 
afternoon unless there was a battalion drill, in 
which case they took part in the manoeuvres of the 
troops. 

Their next duty was at dress parade, where 
they took a prominent part in what is the most 
pleasing and spectacular affair of the day. 

At 9 o'clock they assemble again and beat the 
tattoo for the evening roll call, and fifteen min- 
utes later taps are sounded and the day's duties 
are ended. 

In a camp there were always some heavy sleep- 
ers and it was the business of the drummers in 
beating the morning reveille to make noise enough 
to awake them. Many a time have I seen a fellow 
rush out of his tent attired in nothing but shirt, 
drawers and cap and take his place in the ranks 
hardly in time to answer "here" when his name 
was called. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

THE MUSIC OF THE DRUMS. 

Kinging with a siren's song, 

Throbbing with a country's wrong, 
Making patriots brave and strong. 
Foes must die or yield. 

Calling out the new-born day, 

Marking each night's gentle sway. 
Ready whate'er comes. 

Calls to duty, calls to play. 

Calls for rest and calls for fray 
Rolling, roaring all the day, 
The Music of the Drums. 

Fife and drum have been heard in every camp 
and upon all of the battlefields of the world. And 
for a marching column there is nothing like mar- 
tial music of the good old-fashioned kind, such as 
inspired the continental heroes at Lexington, 
Yorktown and Bunker Hill, and rallied the boys of 
'61, and later led them in all the marches through 
the South. 

Martial music seems to have gone out of fash- 
ion in these up-to-date days, and what little there 
is, is but a poor apology, with the bugle blasts in- 
terjected between the rub-a-dub-dubs of the drum- 
mers who hardly know their a b c's about snare 
drumming. 

I have heard but one good drum corps since the 
war, and that was at the G. A. R. gathering at 
Buffalo a few years ago. An old time drum corps, 
who styled themselves the "Continentals" were 
present. It was composed of veterans over 70 

23 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

years of age, and, say, they could double discount 
any other organization present. 

Many of the crack brass bands of the country 
were there, but they were not in it with the old 
martial band. Their music — mind the expression, 
"music" — caught on with all the swell people of 
the city who thronged the camp waiting for an op- 
portunity to hear them, and the veterans went 
wild as they heard again the reveille and tattoo 
and the old familiar strains of "Yankee Doodle," 
"The Girl I Left Behind Me," "Rory O'More," 
"The Campbells Are Coming," "Hail to the Chief," 
and many other reminders of the old days. 

TWO AMBITIONS. 

Two boys when coming home from the war were 
talking over what they were going to do. One 
whom we will call Joe said he was going to have all 
of the strawberry shortcake he wanted, and then 
he was going to have mother make some of the 
good old-fashioned flap-jacks that he liked so 
well. "I am going to have her make them the full 
size of the round griddle, and as she bakes them 
I'm going to spread them with butter and shaved 
up maple sugar until the pile is a foot high and 
then I'll sit down and have all the pancakes I want 
for once. What are you going to do, Bill.'"' 

"Me.'' I'm going to go to every dance, minstrel 
show, singing school and revival meeting I can 
hear of in forty miles, and I'm going home with 

24 




The Author — A War-Time Photograph. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

every pretty girl I get a chance to. And another 
thing I'm going to do, I'll sit up nights and burn 
a light until I get an all fired good ready to go to 
bed. And I'm goin' to hire a fifer and drummer 
to come and play in front of our house every 
mornin'." 

"Why, Bill, what in thunder you goin' to do 
that for.? I should think that you'd had enough 
of fifin' and drummin' for awhile." 

"Well," says Bill, "I'm goin' to do it, and I'm 
goin' to have them play the reveille good and 
strong for fifteen minutes, and then I'm goin' to 
shove up the chamber window and throw my boot- 
jack at 'em, and yell: 'To h — 1 with your re- 
veille.' " 

RIVAL, DRUM CORPS. 

The first two years of the war we were brigaded 
with a certain Massachusetts regiment that was 
about as fine a body of men as I ever saw togeth- 
er. In fact they looked hke a picked lot of soldiers 
so near of a height were they all. 

Their drum corps was a good one, too, but of 
course the boys of the Second New York thought 
they were a little better than the Bay State fel- 
lows, consequently quite a little rivalry existed be- 
tween the organizations, and when the regiments 
were out for a review or brigade drill the stalwart 
drummers from down East would always try to 
drown out the lads of the Second Heavy. They 

25 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

were all full grown men while our drum corps was 
made up of boys all under eighteen years of age. 
Their music was always of the "When the Spring- 
time Comes, Gentle Annie," and "Chunks of Pud- 
ding and Pieces of Pie," style, played in 6-8 time, 
j ust suited to the stalwart men in their ranks ; 
while ours was more of the "Rory O'More," 
"Garry Owen" and "Get-out-of-the-way-Old-Dan- 
Tucker" sort, which we played 2-4 time, better 
adapted to the quick-stepping New Yorkers be- 
hind us. We had some dandy uniforms, too, and 
I know we were a trim-looking lot in our close-fit- 
ting jackets with plenty of brass buttons and red 
trimmings, and "McClellan caps" setting sauci- 
ly on the side of our heads. Harry Marshall, our 
drum major, was one of the handsomest young fel- 
lows that ever led a drum corps down the line on 
dress parade; and was as good and pure as hand- 
some. He handled his baton with a skill and grace 
of manner that would have captivated all the pret- 
ty girls of a town if we could have marched 
through its principal street. And when it came to 
beating a drum he was what the small boys of to- 
day would call a "corker." 

Harry was a dandy and no mistake, and when 
we led the Second Heavy in a review we knew that 
we were doing it about right. 

One day when we were at Arlington the general 
commanding the brigade ordered the troops out 
for brigade drill, review, etc. His family and some 

36 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

friends were visiting him and he wished to show 
the men off to his guests. We went through vari- 
ous brigade evolutions, followed by exhibitions in 
skirmish drill by detaclmients from the regiments. 
The officer who commanded the detachment from 
the Second New York was Captain Barry, a beau 
ideal of a soldier, who met his death at Petersburg 
later in the war. (By the way, I never saw Col. 
James R. Miller out with old "C" company but 
what I was reminded of Capt. Barry, both in his 
looks and soldierly bearing.) 

Capt. Barry had the skirmish business down 
fine and he took Harry Marshall with his drum, 
and walked out in front of the general and put 
his men through the various movements for half 
an hour or more and his commands were not heard 
only by our drum major, who tapped them out on 
his drum. 

It captivated the general and his guests and 
when the squad returned to their place with the 
regiment the ladies in the general's party clapped 
their hands and waved their handkerchiefs. 

The closing event of the day was the marching 
in review of the different regiments, and again our 
boys received a recognition from the reviewing 
party that must have made the Massachusetts 
men's eyes green with envy. 

Our regiment was the last to pass, and when we 
came opposite of the general, we wheeled out and 
played as the men marched by, and then fell in at 

27 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the rear of the column, and just as we were march- 
ing off the field the general's young daughter, a 
miss in her teens — came cantering towards us, and 
riding up to Harry handed him a beautiful silk 
flag about three feet long mounted on a dainty 
light staff such as is used for the headquarters 
guidons. Harry waved a graceful acknowledge- 
ment with his baton and the blushing girl rode 
back to the reviewing party. 

MUFFLED DRUMS. 

In the fall of 1862, Jimmie, one of the drum- 
mer boys of the Second New York, sickened and 
died. He had been a slender little fellow, and the 
Bull Run campaign was too much for him. He 
lingered along for weeks in the hospital and when 
he realized tha't he must answer the last roll call 
he wished the surgieon to send for his comrades 
of the drum corps. It was his wish that we should 
stand at parade rest in the aisle between the cots. 
From under his pillow he took a little Bible and 
opening it at the 23d Psalm handed it to Harry 
Marshall, our drum major, and motioned for him 
to read the beautiful words. Need I say that there 
were no dry eyes.? And I think from that moment 
life to most of the boys present had a more serious 
meaning. 

The next Sabbath afternoon with muffled drums 
and slow, measured tread, we escorted his remains 
to a little knoll 'neath a clump of pines near Ar- 

28 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

lington. The chaplain said "Earth to earth, 
ashes to ashes, dust to dust." A volley was fired 
over the grave, our drums unmuffled and back to 
camp we went, beating a lively quickstep. 

"Fold him in his country's stars. 
Roll the drums and fire the volley ! 

What to him are all our wars, 

What but death be mocking folly!" 



29 



CHAPTER II. 

THE THORNY PATH OF FOREIGN-BORN OFFICERS. 

^^0^^^ HE soldiers who enlisted early had some 
■ ^ J fun that the boys missed who went out 
^^^^^ after things were in good shape and the 
officers had learned the tactics so they 
did not have to stop in giving an order until they 
consulted a drill-book. It took some little time, 
however, for the young volunteer of '61 to under- 
stand that if he was "just as good as them fellers 
with the shoulder straps," that the first word in 
military tactics was "obey." 

I heard of a lieutenant drilling a squad of re- 
cruits who had been neighbors and schoolmates. 
He put them through with various exercises, such 
as "right and left face," "right about face," 
"right dress," "mark time," etc., and after a while 
the boys got tired of doing the same things over and 
over. Finally one spoke up to the officer as fol- 
lows : "I say, Tom, let's quift this darn f oolin' and 
go over to the sutler's." 

The Second New York Artillery began its 
career under difficulties. It was cursed with some 

30 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

officers in '61-'62 whose qualifications only fitted 
them for service with a mule train. 

Men with military training and experience were 
not plentiful when the war began. Any foreigner 
with the least bit of military knowledge and who 
had a fierce looking moustache could easily obtain 
a commission. 

Our first commander was a Colonel Burtnett, 
who was commonly called "three fingered Jack" by 
the boys. His command was of brief duration. It 
was understood that he resigned by request. When 
he was taking his departure somebody proposed 
"three groans for our late lieutenant colonel" and 
they were given with a will. 

ONE OF KOSSUTh's OFFICERS. 

Early in the spring of 1862 Col. Gustav von 
Wagner came to our regiment. He was a Hun- 
garian refugee and had seen service with Kossuth. 
He claimed to have been cliief of artillery under 
Grant at Fort Donelson, and the Second New York 
regretted that Grant did not keep him. 

The colonel awoke one morning and the first 
thing his eyes looked upon was a mule dressed in 
uniform s,tanding demurely in his tent. It was 
said that he swore in several languages but he 
never found out who perpetrated the huge joke on 
him. 

The officers of our fort arranged to have a lit- 
31 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

tie party one evening, the principal in the arrange- 
ments being Lieut. Stewart. The colonel had taken 
a dislike to Stewart in some way and when he 
learned what was going on he detailed the lieuten- 
ant to command the headquarters guard that 
night. The colonel occupied a fine house that had 
been used by Gen. McClellan for his headquarters 
before he left with his army, and Stewart got even 
with the colonel by firing off a gun after the party 
was in full blast. This caused a fright among the 
pickets who commenced firing, which caused a gen- 
eral alarm that resulted in the breaking up of the 
party and the regiment had to stand by the guns 
in the forts all night. 

The colonel took the regiment on a long march 
one day in the direction of Fairfax court house. 
We skirmished through swamps and waded in 
streams nearly waist deep. The colonel issued or- 
ders that there must not be any "shying" at a 
mud puddle or creek, every man must go straight 
through them. 

One of our captains was quite a fleshy man and 
as the weather was very hot the march was hard 
on him. He was greatly beloved by his men, how- 
ever, and when we came to the fir^t deep creek two 
of his soldiers carried him across dry. The col- 
onel rode along just in time to witness the act and 
he ordered the men to carry the officer back and 
then the captain was told to wade through. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

OLD "quicker nor THAT." 

The most unique character of all was Maj. 
Roach or old "Quicker-nor-that" as he became 
known. Maj. Roach was a Scotchman and had 
seen service in the British army and when he was 
drilling the regiment and wanted them to close up 
would yell out, "Quicker-nor-that, there." "Mind 
your distance; 18 inches," and soon the boys got 
to calling him "Maj. Quicker-nor-that." A witty 
Irishman by the name of Mike Lanehan composed 
some verses, the chorus of which ended with: 

"Eighteen inches from belly to back, 
Quicker nor that, quicker nor that." 

The boys learned the words and used to sing 
them at night for Roach's benefit, which made him 
furious. 

One day when Roach was drilling the men in 
one of the forts he got hurt on a heavy gun car- 
riage. The major's tent was just outside the fort 
and a short cut was made for his benefit by run- 
ning a plank from the top of the parapet across 
the ditch, and the injured officer was carried across 
the plank by two of the men. 

A soldier by the name of Pitcher saw them car- 
rying the major across the ditch and sang out, 
"Dump him, boys, dump the old sinner in the 
ditch." 

Roach recognized the voice and called back, "I 
know you, Pitcher, and I'll break your pitcher for 
3 33 



Drum Taps in Dixie, 

you," and true to his word he caused the offender 
to suffer by making a "spread eagle" of him on the 
wheel of a gun. 

Roach's performances on dress parade and bat- 
talion drills made him and us the laughing stock 
of Phil Kearney's Jersey brigade and other of Mc- 
Clellan's troops who were encamped about us. 

The major used to prowl around niglits and try 
to find out if any of the sentries were shirking their 
duties. One night he approached the post of one 
of our own Co. H. boys whose name was Patrick 
Devereaux. Pat Avas a typical son of Erin and 
withal a good soldier, and as he expressed it did 
not fear "shoulder straps nor the divil." He 
halted old "Quicker-nor-that" and demanded the 
countersign. This was given and then the major 
thought he would see if the man knew his duties, 
and he said, "It's a pleasant evening, sentry ; let 
me see your gun a minute." Instantly the point 
of the bayonet on Pat's musket was pressed 
against the officer's breast, and he was told to 
"mark time." Roach thought the man fooling, 
but Patsy says to him, "Oi'm a bigger man on me 
post than yersilf, and Oi'l learn ye betthcr than to 
be playin' tricks on a gintleman who is doin' his 
duty. Mark time, Oi say, and ye betther step off 
'quicker nor that' or Oi'l be proddin' ye wid me 
bay'net." 

The major swore and threatened, but Pat could 
34 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

not be intimidated and he kept Roach marking 
time until the officer of the guard reheved him. 

Strange to say the major took the matter as a 
good joke and Devereaux escaped punishment. 

A QUIET GAME AFTER TAPS. 

I recall another instance when the major got 
the worst of it. The boys had been forbidden to 
play cards in their tents after "taps," when all 
lights had to be extinguished in the company 
streets. The cooking shanties were quite a little 
back of the camp and just over the crest of a deep 
ravine ; so when the boys wanted a quiet game of 
"5-cent ante" with sutler tickets — for money was 
pretty scarce then — they would betake themselves 
to the cook houses where a light could not be seen 
from the officers' quarters. 

Roach got on to their game, however, and one 
night planned to surprise them from the rear. He 
had been observed by someone who notified the 
poker players and they prepared a little surprise 
for him. When the major was walking up the 

back steps Sergt. emptied a kettle of bean 

soup all over him. 

The sergeant paid the penalty by losing his 
chevrons ; but I will add that after Roach had been 
dismissed from the service, the man whom he re- 
duced to the ranks, became one of the best line 
officers of the regiment and at the assault of Pet- 
ersburg won a captain's bars for bravery. 

35 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Another odd character among the officers was 
a certain lieutenant whom the boys named 
"Spider." 

He was over fond of "commissary" and nearly 
always wore a pair of rubber boots. The men dis- 
liked him and never lost a chance to torment him — 
when it could be done without being detected — ^by 
calling out "here comes 'Spider' and his rubber 
boots." 



36 



CHAPTER III. 

LITTLE MAC AND HIS GRAND ARMY THE SECOND 

BULL RUN. 

QROBABLY the most popular com- 
mander of the Union forces in the civil 
war was General George B. McClellan. 
Whatever his faults, he was idolized 
by his men. Historians may write him up or down 
according to their bias, but the boys who carried 
the muskets away back in '62, who were with him 
at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Malvern Hill, Fair 
Oaks and Antietam, beheved in him and through 
all the long years since then have had a warm 
place in their hearts for the memory of Little 
Mac. 

We saw McClellan's army start out in the spring 
of '62 for their Peninsular campaign and our boys 
were hopping mad to think we were left behind. 
The great majority of the men really felt that 
the war would be ended before we had a chance 
to take a hand in. I may say that the drummer 
boys, full of young red blood, were as eager for 

37 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the fray as the older men, but most of us had got 
enough of war before we reached Appomattox. 

THE IDOL, OF HIS MEN. 

The greatest ovation that the writer ever saw 
given any general was on the occasion of McClel- 
lan's return to the army after the second battle 
of Bull Run. 

It will be remembered that on his return from 
the Peninsular campaign he had been relieved and 
his troops had been ordered to join Pope's forces. 
Gen. Pope was the man who, on assuming com- 
mand a few weeks before, had announced with a 
flourish of trumpets that his headquarters would 
be "in the saddle." But he was no match for 
"Stonewall" Jackson, who kept him running to- 
wards Washington, and would have annihilated 
his army at Manassas but for the timely arrival of 
McClellan's forces. As it was, the army had to 
take refugp in the defenses of Washington and 
there was anxiety for the safety of the capitol. 

In the emergency President Lincoln appealed to 
McClellan to go over into Virginia and resume 
command and reorganize the shattered hosts, and 
McClellan, putting aside his personal feelings, 
consented to do so. The condition of the troop,5 
was such that they were not inclined to enthuse 
very much over any officer. They were ragged, 
nearly shoeless and thoroughly worn out, but when 
one afternoon word was passed among them that 

38 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"Little Mac" Avas coming they rushed to the road- 
side, flung their caps high in the air and cheered 
themselves hoarse. 

McClellan loved his men and their reception 
pleased him. He rode the entire length of the lines 
with bared head, smiling and bowing to the right 
and left. Two days later he led 90,000 of them 
over into Maryland, and won a grand victory at 
Antietam, sending Lee's hosts back to Virginia 
again, but it was the bloodiest battle of the war 
up to that time, for each side had a loss of from 
12,000 to 15,000 men. 

Lincoln visited the army on the battlefield and 
personally thanked McClellan for the victory, and 
the soldiers felt that they were to have their old 
commander with them to the end, but political hi- 
fluences were at work against him in Washington 
and he had to retire soon after. 

It has always been an open question whether 
McClellan would not have been the great general 
of the war if he had been given all the troops he 
wanted and been allowed to act on his own judg- 
ment without dictation from Stanton and Halleck. 
But it was not until later in the war that those in 
authority at Washington learned that the general 
with his troops is the one to command them. 

GOING AFTER STONEWALL,, 

In August, 1862, our regiment received orders 
to march to join Gen. Pope's forces, then operat- 

39 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

ing in the vicinity of Culpeper and Gordonsville, 
and there was great rejoicing among the men, 
who had begun to fear that the j*ebellion might 
collapse without their having a smell of powder. 

The shades of evening were coming on when 
the bugles sounded the "assembly" and we marched 
aAvay with light hearts and heavy knapsacks, for 
all green soldiers are bound to overload on their 
first march. 

That night we lay out on the ground alongside 
of the Orange & Alexandria railroad. When morn- 
ing dawned we found that there were other troops 
bound for somewhere, too. Every man made his 
own coffee and we ate our first meal of "hardtack," 
and were not long in finding out that the safest 
way was to break them in small pieces and sort 
the worms out. 

After that breakfast I went over to a sutler's 
tent and filled up my haversack with fried pies, 
cookies, crackers and other trash that a boy likes. 

Late that afternoon we started out on the 
"pike" in the direction of Fairfax court house and 
were rushed along at a lively gait until nearly 
midnight. The men were young and light heart- 
ed, and as we marched there was the rollicking 
laugh, sharp joke, equally as keen a retort, queer 
and humorous sayings, breaking out from the 
ranks here and there, and then all would sing, 
"John Brown's Body" and "We'll Hang Jeff 
Davis to a Sour Apple Tree." 

40 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

We halted that niglilt near a little place called 
Accotink and bivouacked in a large open field, and 
I recall how quickly the rail fences were converted 
into huge camp fires, for the Virginia nights are 
nearly always chilly. 

The march was resumed early the next morn- 
ing and the day was a hot one. 

The most aggravating thing to the soldiers on 
a march is the unevenness of the marching. First 
you are rushed along so that the short legged 
ones are compelled to double-quick to keep up, 
and then there will be a halt of perhaps fifteen to 
thirty minutes when you are kept standing in the 
broiling svin ; then start again and stop five min- 
utes later. 

It struck me as funny that not one person in 
ten you met in the country knew anything about 
distances. If you met a colored man and asked 
how far it was to Manassas he would reply '"Deed, 
boss, I don't know, 'spec 'tis a right smart dis- 
tance." 

Another would say it was eight miles, and after 
going a mile or two you would ask again and would 
be told it was ten miles and a "bit." 

XOTHIXG LIKE HARDTACK. 

I found on the second day's march that the sut- 
ler's "goodies" which I had stocked up with had 
absorbed a little too much of the flavor of my hav- 
ersack to be palatable, so I returned to Uncle 

41 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Sam's ration of hardtack, salt junk and coffee, 
which cannot be beaten for a steady diet when cam" 
paigning. 

We halted for a rest that noon near a beautiful 
old mansion between Fairfax and Centreville. The 
boys made themselves pretty free with whatever 
they wanted around the premises, notwithstanding 
the protests of the women of the household, one of 
whom observed that "you'uns think you are right 
smart now, but if Stonewall Jackson catches you 
he'll lick you so you won't be so peart the next 
time you come this way." 

We little thought the prediction would come 
true in a brief twenty-four hours, but such was the 
case and when hot, tired and choking with thirst 
and dust, we stopped at the same place the next 
afternoon, thinking to refresh ourselves with some 
sparkling water from the "moss covered bucket 
that hung in the well," we found that it, and in 
fact all of the appliances for drawing water had 
been removed, and, looking back from this dis- 
tance, I think they served us right. 

THE SECOND BULL BUN. 

The night of Aug. 26, 1862, our regiment was 
preparing to go into camp at Bull Run bridge 
when an excited horseman rode among us and 
asked for our colonel. The rider proved to be 
Capt. Von Puitkamer, who with his own battery, 
the 11th New York, and part of Battery C, 1st 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

New York, had preceded us by a few hours. He 
reported that the Confederates had attacked Man- 
assas Junction, capturing his battery and all the 
government stores at that point and he implored 
our colonel to take his regiment and "git him pack 
his pattery." 

Col. Von Wagner, after informing him that he 
"Vas prigadeer sheneral in command," ordered the 
captain to lead the way and he would make short 
work of them "Shonnies." 

After marching and counter-marching around 
in the darkness part of the night we lay down and 
waited for morn. Daylight revealed the enemy 
in force. General Jackson had outwitted Pope 
completely and had a large part of his army be- 
tween Pope and Washington. 

As soon as it was light enough we moved for- 
ward and a little later encountered the enemy near 
Manassas. 

Our skirmishers fired on the rebel cavalry, who 
retreated after two or three volleys, behind some 
buildings. Several riderless horses were soon gal- 
loping around, so we assumed that the shots had 
been effective. 

Soon the enemy commenced to throw shell at 
us from numerous guns and maintained a heavy 
fire for some time. We were ordered to lie down 
and thus escaped with few casualties. My drum 
that was on the top of a pile of officers' luggage 

43 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

in the rear of the line was ruined by a piece of 
shell. 

About 10 o'clock the Confederates attempted to 
turn our left flank, but our line was changed to 
intercept the movement, which was unsuccessful. 
The rebel infantry had been brought up to the 
front line and were firing at us at a furious rate. 
It being apparent that we were outnumbered our 
colonel ordered a retreat, which was conducted in 
an orderly manner until Gen. Stuart sent his cav- 
alry after us and then a panic ensued. 

Just before our march to the front the son of 
an officer of the regiment came to make his father 
a visit, and being there when we got orders to take 
the field, he thought it would be a fine thing to go 
along and see the sights — a sort of picnic. We, 
being somewhere near the same age, were in each 
other's company a great deal. When the regi- 
ment became engaged at Bull Run we were the 
source of much anxiety to our fathers and, not be- 
ing of any particular use on the firing line, were 
sent to the rear, where the baggage wagons and 
"coffee coolers" were assembled. When the break 
in the lines occurred and the troops rushed pell 
mell to the rear there were some lively movements. 
Everybody went and stood not on the order of 
their going. Charley Rogers of our company — a 
former resident of Lorraine — drove a four-horse 
team which drew a wagon loaded with baggage 
belonging to the officers of the regiment. Charley 

44 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

saw us boys and called out to "get aboard," and be 
"damn lively about it, too." It was one of the old 
style government wagons, canvas-covered with a 
round hole at the rear end. We crawled up in 
front and sat with our backs against Charley's 
seat and facing the rear. Didn't we get a shak- 
ing up, though? For Rogers sent the horses for 
all they were worth. Occasionally there would be 
a jam in the road caused by some wagon break- 
ing down. Near Bull Run Bridge a blockade oc- 
curred, and while we sat there expecting that the 
rebel cavalry would swoop down and demand our 
surrender we were terrorized by seeing the point 
of a bayonet looking at us through the hole at the 
rear of the wagon. Before we recovered ourselves 
enough to speak somebody behind that gun and 
bayonet gave it a shove and the glittering piece 
of cold steel passed between us two boys and em- 
bedded itself in the back of Charley's seat. Then 
the pale face of a soldier was stuck through the 
hole and instead of a Johnnie reb it was one of our 
regiment by the name of Hawkins. 

When near Bull Run bridge the road became 
so blocked that we could not move. 

A section of a light battery came along and the 
drivers thought they could pull out to the roadside 
and pass. In doing so the wheels of one gun sank 
In the soft ground and, toppling over on the side, 
became entangled in the fence. 

45 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Nearly all of the men deserted it and ran for 
dear life. 

One driver stuck to his horses and plied the 
whip, but the carriage refused to move. 

The enemy were coming steadily on and the bul- 
lets began to whistle unpleasantly. We had got- 
ten out of our wagon, intending to go ahead on 
foot. 

About this time along came a member of our 
company by the name of Will McNeil, who was 
serving as a teamster. He had abandoned his 
wagon and was riding one of his big mule team 
and leading the other. 

Hawkins hailed him, saying "See here McNeil, 
hitch your mules on ahead of these artillery horses 
and let's save this gun from capture." 

"All right," says McNeil, and in less time than 
it takes to tell it Mc's mules were made the lead 
team and McNeil and Hawkins stood at their side 
and plied the whips, and they lifted the gun and 
saved it from falling into the hands of the enemy, 
for it Avould surely have been captured, but for 
Hawkins and McNeil. 

Between Bull Run and Centreville w^e met Gen. 
Taylor and his Jersey brigade that had been sent 
out by rail from Alexandria to try and regain the 
lost fight, but Jackson had pushed forward A. P. 
Hill's and Bristol's divisions and several batteries, 
and the Jersey troops were quickly routed, Gen. 
Taylor himself losing a leg in the encounter. 

46 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The story of the battle, the skeedaddle, etc., is 
a matter of history. It was a contest of several 
days and both armies became involved. 

Thousands of bi'ave men were killed and wound- 
ed and among the officers who gave up their lives 
on the Union side was the beloved and dashing 
Gen. Phil Kearnej'^, who made such a record at 
the battle of Seven Pines. 

The story of his conduct that day has been told 
in verse by the poet, Stedman : 

"So that soldierly legend is still on its journey 

That story of Kearney who knew not to yield! 
'Twas the day when v/ith Jameson, fierce Berry and Birney, 

Against t^venty thousand he rallied the field. 
AVhere the red volleys poured, where the clamor rose high- 
est, 
Where the dead lay in clumps through the dwarf oak 
and pihc, 
Where the aim from the thicket was surest and nighest. 
No charge like Phil Kearney's along the whole line." 
******* 

"He snuffed like his charger the wind of the powder. 

His sword waved us on and we answered the sign; 
Loud our cheer as we rushed, but his laugh rang the louder; 

There's the devil's own fun, boys, along the whole line! 
How he strode his brown steed!' How we saw his blade 
brighten 

In the one hand still left, and the reins in his teeth! 
He laughed like a boy when the holidays heighten, 

But a soldier's glance shot from his visor "beneath. 
Up came the reserves to the melee infernal, 

Asking where to go in— thro' the clearing or pine.» 
'O^ anywhere ! Forward ! 'Tis all the same, colonel ; 

'You'll find lovely fighting along the whole line !' " 



47 



CHAPTER IV. 

INCIDENTAL, TO BULL, RUN. 



THE CAPTURE OF UNCLE HAWLEY, 

KENRY HAAVLEY was his name, but the 
boys of Company H always called him 
"Uncle," and so he appears on our com- 
pany record. 
Hawley was not cut out for a soldier — in fact 
he was several sizes too large. His corpulency 
made him appear rather ludicrous when he tried to 
line up with the slender youths of the company on 
dress parade. 

Tom ]\Iurphy, the orderly sergeant, was always 
yelling out "right dress there, Hawley." 

One Sunday morning the regiment was being in- 
spected by an Irish major and as he came to Haw- 
ley he looked him over and remarked that he didn't 
know what the h — 1 anybody was thinking of to 
enlist a man of his build, and he should think the 
best thing to do with him was to send him home. 
"All right, sir," says Hawley, "I'll go today, if 
you please." 

48 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The man was a natural wit and an adept in the 
use of sarcasm, and had a way of talking back to 
his superiors that usually put the laugji on them. 
The truth is the boys of '61 didn't stand mucli 
"putting on airs" by tlie officers, and if one did 
make a show of his authority the men made life 
miserable for him. 

Hawley was finally made to earn his $11 a 
month (that was our nmnificent pay then) by do- 
ing duty as company cook, a position he filled with 
credit to himself and satisfaction to his boarders. 
He was not content to serve up "salt boss" and 
boiled beef in the easy manner of most army cooks, 
but was ever fixing us a nice treat of hash or an 
"Irish stew" with dumplings, and Hawley's dump- 
lings became famous throughout the Second 
Heavy. 

Evenings we used to gather around the cook 
house and listen to Hawley's impersonations of 
Shakespearean characters, in which he was very 
clever, and from Shakespeare he would turn to the 
Bible, with which he was exceedingly familiar. 

When we went to the front Hawley left his 
camp kettles behind and shouldered a musket. On 
the retreat from Bull Run Hawley became played 
out and he declared he could go no further. The 
boys urged him to keep along with them and not 
get captured, but Hawley said if they wanted him 
they would have to take him, which they did and 
got an elephant on their hands too. Hawley's ac- 
4 49 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

count of his experience with the rebels was very 
funnj. They found him lying by the roadside 
and ordered him to get up and go along with them. 
He told them he could not march another step, 
and if they wanted him to go to Libby prison they 
would have to furnish a conveyance. The rebel 
officer coaxed, swore and threatened, but all to no 
purpose. Hawley would not budge an inch. 
Finally a horse was brought and he was told to 
mount. Hav.lcy declared he could not and then 
the officer directed some of the men to assist him, 
and two guards were ordered to walk by the side 
of the horse and hold him on. Hawley's comments 
about the razor-backed horse and other sarcastic 
remarks made sport for all except the officer in 
charge, who threatened more than once to gag his 
tormentor. The Confederates probably thought 
the best thing to do was to get Hawley off their 
hands, so after keeping him in captivity a couple 
of days they paroled him and sent him inside our 
lines instead of to Andersonville prison, where so 
many of his comrades had to go, many never to 
return. 

FINISHED HIS SMOKE IN LIBBY. 

An incident of the stampede from Manassas 
illustrates how unconcerned some are amidst dan- 
ger and excitement. Jimmy West, a little Irish- 
man of our company, was a character and an in- 
veterate smoker and never lost a chance to in- 

50 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

dulge himself. After the retreat was well under 
way, Jimmy bethought himself of his pipe and to- 
bacco, but a match was lacking and none of his 
nearby comrades had one, so he yelled out to our 
first sergeant, at the head of the company: 

"I say there, orderly, hev' you a bit of a match 
about ye?" 

"To thunder with j^our pipe, Jimmy," respond- 
ed Sergt, Murphy. "You better be using your 
short legs pretty lively or you'll be smoking in 
Libby prison tomorrow evening," and sure enough 
Jimmy was among those captured. 

The most ludicrous incident connected with the 
Bull Run affair occurred near Fairfax Court 
House when we supposed we were safe from the 
Confederate cavalry. 

Between Centreville and Fairfax we passed the 
14th Massachusetts, that had formed a line of 
battle across the turnpike to arrest the pursuing 
Confederates. 

We breathed somewhat easier after we had put 
the troops between us and our pursuers. 

The day was an intensely hot one, and the hun- 
dreds of horses galloping over the turnpike, haul- 
ing the heavy wagons, raised clouds of dust that 
were nearly suffocating, so when we crossed a lit- 
tle stream of water most of the teamsters halted 
in a large field near by for the purpose of refresh- 
ing and resting their exhausted steeds. 

The two boys got out of the wagon, stretched 
51 



y w- Drum Taps in Dixie. 

y{^y their legs and with many others went over to the 
> creek for a wash up. 

Among the bathing party were WilHam McNeil 
and "Hod" Clair of our company, who had made 
the retreat from Bull Run, one mounted on a mule 
with nothing but a halter and the other on the 
confiscated horse of some officer who had been 
killed in the battle. 

While we were splashing the water and having 
as much sport as any party of youngsters ever 
did in an old fashioned "swimmin' hole" in their 
school boy days, somebody shouted "The rebs are 
coming," and sure enough there was a squadron 
of Confederate cavalry coming at a gallop down 
a cross road about a mile away. You may be sure 
that there was some right-smart hustling. 

Some grabbed a blouse, cap or shirt while others 
buckled on their equipments in undress uniform. 

My partner and I saved our clothing, but de- 
ferred dressing until we were safely in our wagon 
with Charley Rogers urging his four horses to 
their utmost speed. 

Hod Clair made a most comical figure on the 
horse, dressed in nothing but his cap, blouse and 
cuticle, and the officer's sword dangling against 
his naked left leg. 

IN AFTER YEARS. 

A quarter of a century had elapsed after the 
disbandment of our regiment before I saw the com- 

52 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

rade who rode with me from Bull Run. I sat writ- 
ing at my desk one afternoon when I heard some 
one asking up in the front part of the store if 
"Del" was in. 

The familiarity with which the questioner han- 
dled my name excited my curiosity and looking up 
I beheld two rather seedy looking individuals with 
l;ats in hand elbowing their way down through 
the store. 

The one in advance was apparently a stranger. 
His companion, however, was a resident of the 
city, a veteran of my regiment, who bore the scars 
of battle on his body. 

He returned home from the war to learn that 
while he was away fighting the battles of his coun- 
try one of the stay-at-homes had been making love 
to his wife. She went west with her paramour, 
and the veteran laid down under the load and let 
the battle of life go against him. He was no com- 
mon bum, however, if he did try at times to drown 
his misery in strong drink. He kept pretty clear 
of evil and low-down associations, even if he had 
dropped below the level of respectable people. The 
veteran was a man of intelligence and spent much 
time with good reading, and it was my pleasure 
for many years to keep him pretty well supplied. 
Strange to relate, a publication that was his espe- 
cial favorite was the old "Christian Union," now 
known as the "Outlook." Of course he held me 
up now and then for the loan of a dime or quarter. 

53 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

If I hesitated about going into my pocket, he had 
a way of looking up and reminding me that it was 
"Just for old acquaintance sake." Perhaps it 
would have been better to have refused him, but I 
had not the heart to say no to one who had black- 
ened his coffee pail over the same campfire with me, 
had carried part of my traps on many weary 
marches and had touched elbows with my father on 
the fighting line. I cannot forget such things and 
would not if I could. 

As the two approached me they halted, saluted, 
and the old "vet" gave me two or three sly winks, 
as much as to say, I'll bet you a "V" you can't 
tell who I have here. 

I was puzzled, but instinctively felt it was one 
of the old Co. H. The man had evidently seen bet- 
ter days. He carried his hat in his hand like a 
well-mannered man, and there were other unmis- 
takable traces of birth and good breeding. 

We looked hard at each other. A twinkle came 
into a pair of black eyes that had once been the 
handsomest I ever saw in a man's head. A smile 
hovered around his mouth, and then out of the 
misty past came my companion of that memorable 
ride of long ago. I reached out my hand and 
said, "It's George," and I believe he was more 
pleased than as if I had handed him a hundred- 
dollar greenback, which is saying a good deal, 
for it was plainly evident that his finances were 
low. 

54 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

It was the old story. A young man, the son of 
an officer of our regiment who had been the leading 
merchant of — Avell, a smart town not a hundred 
miles from Watertown, well educated, with pros- 
pects in life that were the best, and now the fol- 
lower of a circus. Always going somewhere and 
never getting anywhere was the way he put it. 
Still, my comrade. 

I think he held my hand five minutes, and mem- 
ories of other days were kindled anew. He had for- 
gotten nothing. It was safely stored away in 
memory and the meeting had tapped it. 

Graphically he portrayed the incidents of our 
Bull Run ride to the amusement of clerks and cus- 
tomers. All at once he recalled that he was in the 
presence of ladies, and bowing and smiling he gal- 
lantly tiptoed his way to the front part of the 
store and apologized for forcing an old soldier's 
story upon them. 

No one could have done it with more ease and 
grace, for, as I have stated, George's early asso- 
ciations had been of the best. His family was in 
the swell set of the town in which they lived, and 
his father was a gentleman of the old school and 
noted for his polished manners. 

"You see, ladies," said he, "I haven't been in 
your beautiful city since war times until this 
morning. Struck town with Barnum & Bailey's 
greatest aggi'egation on earth." 

"Perhaps traveling with a circus does not meet 
55 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

your approval. I like it, though. Something like 
soldiering. Always under marching orders. Plen- 
ty of fresh air and one never sleeps so good as he 
does on the ground with only a strip of canvas be- 
tween him and the heavens. 

"When the band is playing and them Wild West 
fellows are gsilloping around the ring with the 
scabbards of their sabres clanging against the 
stirrup-irons, I just close my eyes and imagine I 
am with the old second corps again and Gen. Han- 
cock is riding down the lines. 

"Suppose you have all heard about the general? 
Handsomest man and greatest fighter that ever 
straddled a horse. 

"The general and the second corps never missed 
a fight. Yes, we were with them through it all. 

"Gettysburg? Sure! Rube, here, got a couple 
of bullet holes when we were beating back Pickett's 
men that afternoon. The general went down that 
day, too, and I can shut my eyes and see it all and 
hear the cheers of the Irish brigade boys when 
they realized that the battle was won. 

"Beg pardon, ladies, but I am in something of 
a reminiscent mood today, being as I met an old 
comrade. We have been holding a little reunion. 
Yes, took a little something in honor of the event. 

" 'Del' — er Mr. Miller — was with us from 
start to finish. Wasn't much of him but his drum 
and grit. Legs so short the boys had to carry 
him across all the creeks. He stuck though and 

56 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

tapped 'lights out' down side of Lee's 'last ditch' 
at Appomattox." 



That evening the two veterans of the old sec- 
ond corps partook of the best that the Woodruff 
house could give and smoked several of Nill & 
Jess' Pinks at the expense of one who was glad to 
do it, "Just for old acquaintance sake." 

WAR IS HELL. 

To fully appreciate Gen. Sherman's definition 
of war, one needs to be at a field hospital on the 
outskirts of some great battlefield where the 
ghastly surroundings of death and suffering are 
more terrible than on the battlefield itself. 

The day after our retreat from Bull Run our 
regiment was ordered to proceed by train to Fair- 
fax station, where all the wounded were sent for 
transportation to Washington. We rode on the 
top of freight cars, every man with a loaded mus- 
ket ready to shoot any of Mosby's men who might 
try to wreck the train. The cars were filled with 
cots, stretchers, blankets and other supplies for 
the wounded. 

The night was a dark and rainy one, and as we 
jumped off the cars at the station, which was lo- 
cated in some dense woods, we saw the horrors of 
war spread out on every side. Acres of ground 
were covered with bleeding, mangled soldiers, who 

57 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

but a short time before had stood amid the storm 
of shot and shell, now just as bravely enduring 
suffering. 

The surgeons and their assistants at the ampu- 
tating tables with coats off and shirt sleeves rolled 
up, their hands red with blood, worked swiftly to 
save life, for it is the "first aid" to the wounded 
that counts. 

The spectacular effect was heightened by piles 
of blazing pitch pine knots, torches and lanterns 
suspended from the limbs of trees, which imparted 
a strange wierdness to the scene. 

All night long the interminable trains of am- 
bulances and wagons from the battlefield came 
bringing their loads of sufferers with the smoke of 
battle upon them. Many were so exhausted that 
it was necessary to give them stimulants before 
they could be lifted from the wagons. 

The United States Sanitary and Christian com- 
missions were represented by a large number of 
workers. Women of culture and refinement, from 
some of the best families in the land, were cutting 
off the blood-drenched clothing, bathing and 
bandaging shattered limbs, giving nourishment to 
the fainting, speaking comforting words and lis- 
tening to the messages of the dying; and all this 
going on within the sound of rattling musketry 
and booming cannon, for it was the night of the 
fight at Chantilly, when Gen. Jackson attempted 

58 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

to flank Pope's army and reached a point not far 
from Fairfax court house. 

Our regiment stood in hne in a wheat field, just 
outside of the woods, a good part of the night 
with the rain falhng in torrents and heaven's ar- 
tillery vieing with that of the forces engaged. 

A drummer boy of our company who had lost 
his drum at Manassas, was carrying a musket that 
night and stood in the ranks with his father who 
was a sergeant in the same command. I need hard- 
ly say that the events of that night are graven as 
with an iron pen on his memory. 

The authorities at Washington were fearful of 
risking any more fighting so near the capital and 
Gen. Pope was ordered to withdraw his army 
within the defenses of Washington and the wound- 
ed were hurried away from Fairfax station in 
every kind of conveyance, even hacks and car- 
riages being sent out from Washington. 

Our regiment remained until the last wounded 
man had been sent forward and then set fire to the 
immense quantities of supplies stored there, to 
prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. 

Our casualties in the second Bull Run affair were 
comparatively small, we being engaged only in the 
first encounter at Manassas Junction, which was 
merely preliminary to the great battle. 

Gen. Stuart's cavalry did, however, manage to 
take as prisoners about two hundred of the regi- 
ment. 

59 



CHAPTER V. 

WASHINGTON IN THE SIXTIES. 

Vt|^ ASHINGTON in the sixties was not the 
^ ■ ^ beautiful city that it is today. The 
V^^ nation's capital was one vast camp of 
armed men and the city was circled 
with a cordon of forts and earthworks. Early 
in the war the Confederate flag could be seen from 
the dome of the capitol, flying on Munson's hill, 
while the exchange of shots by the pickets was 
heard at the White House more than once. 

" 'AH quiet along the Potomac,' thev say, 
Except now and then a stray picket 

Is shot, as he walks on his beat to and fro. 
By a rifleman hid in the thicket." 

Pennsylvania avenue, that grand thoroughfare 
with its wide, long stretch of asphalt, was then 
supposed to be paved with cobblestones, but they 
had nearly been crushed out of sight by the heavy 
government wagons, cannon and artillery caissons, 
which had cut such deep ruts that the street was 
almost impassable in muddy weather. 

Guards patrolled the sidewalks; troops were 
60 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

constantly passing through the city on their way 
to Virginia; officers and their orderhes were rid- 
ing to and fro, and it was said that a boy could 
not throw a stone at a dog without hitting a brig- 
adier general. 

Probably few of the present generation are 
aware how much of the great civil war was fought 
within an easy day's journey of the city. Two of 
the most celebrated battles of the war, in which 
25,000 men were killed and wounded, were fought 
but twenty-five miles away, and at Arlington there 
is a monument that marks the resting place of the 
remains of over 2,100 unknown dead gathered 
along the route of the army from the Potomac to 
the Rappahannock. 

There is no greater blessing vouchsafed to man 
than memory, which enables one to live over again 
the past, and so I recall with pleasure the many 
happy days in my early army life, when we were 
doing duty in the forts around Washington, and 
before the gold plating of a soldier's life had been 
worn off by the stern realities of active service. 

The city was then encircled by a chain of forts. 
But time and the elements have nearly obliterated 
the defenses of Washington, and pretty little vil- 
las with sweet and romantic names such as: Ross- 
lyn, Ivanwold, Buena Vista, Carberry Meadows, 
etc., have replaced them. The prattle and inno- 
cent laughter of happy children is heard on the 

61 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

heights or ArHngton, instead of bugle calls, the 
music of bands and the booming of cannon. 

Looking backward from a distance of forty 
years one must admit that it was much more com- 
fortable soldiering around Washington than at 
the front with such fighters as Grant, Sheridan, 
Hancock, Warren, Wright, Gibbons and others 
"pushing things." It was monotonous, however, 
and the men grew tired of drills, fancy guard 
mountings, dress parades, brightening of guns 
and polishing of brass buttons, and were troubled 
with the thought that the war might be brought 
suddenly to a close before they would have an 
opportunity to win any laurels. But everybody 
had their ambitions gratified before Lee surren- 
dered, for there was fighting enough to go all 
arotmd in that affair. 

SOME OF THE OLD FORTS. 

My first army home was at Fort Worth near 
Fairfax Seminary, about three miles from Alex- 
andria. 

The site of old Fort Worth was a beautiful spot, 
about three hundred feet above the Potomac, and 
from its warlike parapets one could behold an en- 
trancing panorama of country. To the south the 
Fairfax "pike" and the Orange and Alexandria 
railroad wended their way through as beautiful a 
little valley as the sun ever shone upon. Twenty- 
five years after the war I visited the place. The 

63 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

owner of the land on which the fort was built, and 
who served as a colonel in the Confederate army, 
then had a beavitiful home on the site and utilized 
the old bomb-proof for an outside cellar. Near 
his barn was a little of the old parapet remain- 
ing and our party stood on the earthworks while 
our old regimental bugler, a man bent with the 
weight of more than three score years, sounded 
reveille, tattoo, and lights out. There were no dry 
eyes in the party when the last bugle notes echoed 
and re-echoed through the charming Virginia 
valley leading out tov^ard Fairfax. 

REMOKSE REVEALS A CHIVALROUS ACT. 

It is hardly necessary to say that we did some 
pretty deep thinking as we met that day on the old 
camp ground. 

Our comrades stood before us again — boys who 
had been schoolmates, the companions of our 
youth. We could almost hear their familiar voices, 
their songs and sayings, and we thought of where 
we parted with many of them, here and there along 
the way from Washington to Appomattox. The 
thoughts brought keen pangs of sorrow to us, yet 
withal there were many pleasant recollections re- 
vived. 

Looking off to the south we saw the same fine 
old southern mansion that was there in war times. 
We felt remorse for many foraging expeditions 
in which the fruit, sweet potatoes, ducks and 

63 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

chickens had been confiscated for the cause of 
Uncle Sam. 

We thought we would go and call on our old 
neighbors and make the amende honorable. 

The fine old southern lady freely forgave us 
with a graciousness characteristic of the women of 
the south. An invitation to lunch was extended 
and accepted. George, a colored boy, was told to 
go down the "Run" to the mill and tell her son, 
the colonel (no rank under a colonelcy is recog- 
nized in Virginia), to come up to the house and 
meet some of the old Second New York. 

We lunched on the broad veranda and ex- 
changed reminiscences of the days when we were 
neighbors and enemies, and as the colonel sipped 
that favorite and refreshing beverage of the south, 
a mint julep, he told of his wounds at Manassas 
and how friends had helped him through the lines 
and back to his old home right under the guns of 
our fort, where he was secreted until his recovery. 
His presence there was not unknown to the general 
commanding the Union forces, who, like a chival- 
ric knight of old, kept the secret for the sake of 
the mother, and furnished guards to keep intrud- 
ers away from the house. 

The reader must not infer that there was one 
drop of traitorous blood in the officer's veins. His 
name I am not at liberty to divulge, but it is no 
breach of confidence to say that he was one of the 
most brilliant generals in the army of the Poto- 

64 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

mac, whose loyalty was proven on many a bloody 
battlefield. 

Across the valley to the east from Fort Worth, 
on the Mount Vernon road, was a large fort called 
Fort Lyon, where the gallant old 94th New York 
Infantry spent the winter and spring of '62. An 
explosion of ammunition in one of the magazines 
nearly destroyed the fort in 1863, killing and 
wounding many of the garrison and causing the 
earth to tremble for miles. 

Fort Lyon was nearly on the left of the defenses- 
south of the Potomac, while Fort Marcy, about 
four miles west of Georgetown and near the fa- 
mous Chain bridge, guarded the right flank. 

Between the two, running parallel with the Po- 
tomac, along Arlington heights, was a perfect 
chain of forts and earthworks, the names of which 
many northern New York veterans will recall, such 
as Forts Ellsworth, Ward, Blenkner, Albany, Run- 
yon, Corcoran, Haggerty, Tillinghast, Whipple, 
Woodbury, Greig, Cass, Dekalb (afterwards Fort 
Smith), Strong and many others. The Fifth New 
York Heavy Artillery assisted in the erection of 
the last named. 

The 35th New York, which was the first organ- 
ization in this section to respond to President Lin- 
coln's call for troops, garrisoned Fort Tilling- 
hast for a time and assisted considerably in its 
completion as well as the cutting away of timber 
in front of the forts south of Arlington. 
5 65 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

One of the most prominent forts near Arlington 
was Fort Corcoran, so named in honor of Col 
Michael Corcoran, who led that famous Irish regi- 
ment, the 69th New York, to the war, and was 
captured at the first battle of Bull Run. 

This fort was the headquarters of the Second 
New York Artillery for more than a year and the 
regiment while there assisted largely in the con- 
struction of Fort Whipple, which is now known as 
Fort Myer. and is kept as a military post by the 
government. All visitors to Arlington via the 
Georgetown bridge pass by it. 

Fort Stevens, originally called Fort Massachu- 
setts, attained prominence during Gen. Early's 
raid in 1864 by reason of having been the scene 
of some stubborn fighting. It is only about five 
miles from the capitol and but for the timely ar- 
rival of the fighting Sixth corps which Grant sent 
back from Petersburg, it is probable that the Con- 
federate forces would have entered the city. It 
was on the ramparts of Fort Stevens that Presi- 
dent Lincoln exposed himself to the fire of the 
enemy. 

There were some formidable forts east of the 
capitol across the "East Branch" on Boone's 
Ridge in Prince George's County, Md. The 
names of Fort Mahan, Baker, Stanton, Carroll, 
Greble, Wagner and others will be recalled by all 
the survivors of that regiment, the pride of Jeffer- 

66 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

son county, the 10th New York Heavy Artillery, 
which garrisoned many of them for a long period. 

Lincoln's pets. 

The 10th New York Heavy Artillery has been 
referred to as the lucky regiment from Jefferson 
county. It was organized in September, 1862, 
and performed garrison duty in the defenses east 
of Washington until the summer of 1864, when 
it was ordered to the front. It joined the army at 
Cold Harbor at about the time Grant was prepar- 
ing to transfer operations to Petersburg and Ber- 
muda Hundred. 

The 10th Heavy was sent around by water from 
White House Landing, while most of the army 
made a forced march across country. 

The regiment participated in the first fighting 
at Petersburg. Later they were returned to the 
defenses of Washington where they remained un- 
til Gen. Early's army was driven out of Maryland, 
when they were ordered to join Gen. Sheridan's 
forces in the Shenandoah valley. They were a fine 
body of men, well officered, well drilled, and under 
perfect discipline, which probably accounted for 
their being such favorites with President Lincoln 
and Secretary Stanton. 

DOG BILLY OF THE SECOND HEAVY. 

When McClellan's army left for the Peninsula 
a soldier sold to one of our boys his dog. He was 

67 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

just a plain every day sort of dog with chopped 
off tail and clipped ears, but in some respects the 
most knowing little fellow I ever saw, and he soon 
became a great favorite with everybody in camp. 
He learned the bugle and drum calls and took 
special dehght in dress parades. When the men 
were forming for that, Billy would run up and 
down the line barking and cut up all sorts of cap- 
ers he was so very happy. 

He seemed to be fond of brass band music and 
would lead the musicians up and down the line un- 
til the colonel ordered the sergjeant major to drive 
him away. He charged on Billy with drawn 
sword and the knowing little fellow kept behind the 
line ever after that. 

There was a nice large "swimmin' hole" in 
"Four Mile Run," not far from camp, where we 
used to go bathing frequently. Billy always went, 
too, and had great sport with the boys. Nothing 
pleased him more than to have some one pick him 
up and throw him headlong into the water. 

Old "Lige" Moyer used to come out in front of 
his cook tent almost every evening and play the 
fiddle, and, if you will believe it, "Lige" learned 
Billy to waltz, rewarding him with liberal rations 
after the performance. Billy always stood guard 
with his master, keeping him company in his lone- 
ly night watches. 

The crack of a rifle did not disturb him the least 
bit, but the booming of the heavy guns were too 

68 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

much for his nerves, and he would go and hide in 
his owner's tent. 

When we were ordered out to the front for the 
Bull Run campaign Billy went along, too. He 
used to curl up under the same blanket with Joe, 
his master. The morning - that the battle of 
Manassas opened our regiment was subjected to a 
severe artillery fire for two hours. Billy became a 
skulker and went to the rear. In the skedaddle 
and panic that occurred later in the day, Joe, 
with many others, was taken prisoner by the John- 
nies. 

A couple of weeks later our regiment was sent 
back to the forts. Billy was not with us and no 
one had seen him since the morning at Bull Run. 
We concluded that he must have been taken pris- 
oner, too, but a few days later Billy appeared in 
camp. He was a sorry looking dog, thin as a 
razor and his hair turned toward his head. The 
distance to Manassas was about twenty-five miles, 
but he had probably tramped much farther in 
finding his way back to camp. 

All were glad to see him again, and he seemed 
pleased enough to see us nntil he found that Joe 
was not there. No more the h\ig}e calls aroused 
him, and even the music of the band had lost its 
charm. He would just go looking in the different 
tents and keep up a continual whining. 

One day he got tired waiting for Joe to come 
69 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

back and he left us, and that was the last we ever 
heard of dog Billy. 

THE OLD WAR SONGS. 

"I cannot sing the old songs, I sang long years ago. 

For heart and voice would fail me and foolish tears would 

flow; 
For by-gone hours come o'er my heart with each familiar 

strain ; 
I cannot sing the old songs, or dream those dreams again." 

How many of our readers remember the old 
songs and melodies that were so popular in the six- 
ties .? People sang them in their homes and the 
soldiers in the camps and on the march, and they 
furnished inspiration for many a tired regiment 
to gp into battle. 

As I write there comes to my mind snatches of 
many of the old favorites such as "We'll Rally 
Round the Flag, Boys," "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, 
the Boys are Marching." 

A story is told of a regiment who went into bat- 
tle nearly one thousand strong and came out with 
less than half the number, but the survivors with 
their blood-stained banners and smoke-begrimed 
faces marched to another position in the line sing- 
ing 

"We'll rally round the flag, boys, 

We'll rally once again, shouting the battle cry of freedom." 

"When Johnnie Comes Marching Home Again" 
was always a favorite in the ranks, but in the quiet 

70 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

of camp the songs were a little more sentimental 
and suggestive of home and the loved ones. Some 
of the old time favorites were: 

"Sweet Alice Ben Bolt," "Hazel Dell," 
"Annie Laurie," "Kathleen Mavourneen," "Tent- 
ing Tonight," "The Faded Coat of Blue," "The 
Vacant Chair," "Just Before the Battle, Mother," 
"Write Me a Letter from Home," etc., etc., and 
an evening camp concert, with perhaps a hundred 
or more voices in the choruses would wind up with 
"The Shining Shore," "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," 
and "Nearer, My God, to Thee." 



CHAPTER VI. 

OUR FIGHTING COLONEL. 

aFTER the Bull Run campaign our regi" 
ment was detailed for garrison duty 
again and sent to some forts near Arling- 
ton where we remained for a long time. 
Our colonel (with a foreign military experi- 
ence?) was relieved of his command immediately 
after Bull Run and there came to us a commander 
who proceeded to jerk things straight in the regi- 
ment. His name was Jeremiah N. G. Whistler and 
he had been in the regular army since he was a day 
old, having been born in camp. He was all mili- 
tary, through and through, and a disciplinarian 
of disciplinarians. 

He drilled the regiment six days in the week 
and then had a Sunday inspection, and succeeded 
in bringing the command to a high state of per- 
fection. He was a man of fiery temper and when 
anything touched it off he could let out a string 
of oaths — of which he had a choice and inexhaust- 
ible selection — that would produce a sulphurous 
atmosphere. 

72 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

One Sunday morning when our company wa& 
marcliing by the colonel's tent to go out for in- 
spection he noticed one of the men swinging his 
left arm, and the next thing that the Co. H man 
knew the colonel had him by the coat collar and was 
shaking him. Then leading him back to his place 
in the ranks admonished him about repeating the 
arm swinging again. 

But taken all in all he was a good officer and 
when we went to the front again, excited the ad- 
miration of the men by his bravery under fire. 

At Petersburg he was wounded and later was 
breveted for gallant and distinguished service. 

He re-entered the regular army after the war 
and at the time of his death was a colonel. 

Judging by the experience we had with three 
or four colonels, I should pick out a regular army 
officer every time for a commander. They expect 
the men to obey orders and do their full duty, and 
on the other hand a man can depend on getting all 
that belongs to him and justice on all occasions. 

ATE THE colonel's DINNER. 

Col. Whistler was fond of good feeding and one 
day his cook served up his dinner about the time 
that a staff officer from the brigade headquarters 
rode up with a message for him. While he was on 
the outside reading it one of the men happened 
along back of the tent and noticed the tempting 
eatables waiting for an eater, and, being hungry, 

73 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

he slipped in and proceeded to stow food away 
as only a hungry soldier can. He was so busy 
about it that he did not notice the officer peering 
in the front of the tent. The brazen effrontery of 
the man had rendered the officer speechless. Final- 
ly he recovered himself enough to exclaim: "Do 
you know, you d — d rascal, whose food you're 
eating?" The man looked up as he helped himself 
to another chicken wing, and said: "No, colonel, 
and I'm jiggerod if I'm the leastways particular 
about such things when I'm hungry and rations 
are scarce." The colonel admired the cheek and 
coolness of the man and told him to eat his fill and 
if he ever heard of his telling of the affair he would 
have him courtmartialed. 

LOVE AND WAR. 

While we were doing duty at Arhngton many 
of the fair sex of Washington and Georgetown 
frequently honored us with their presence at our 
dress parades, and among them was the beautiful 
and charming daughter of Mrs. E. D. E. N. 
Southworth, the gifted authoress, who resided in 
a pretty rose-embowered cottage that nestled 
among the trees and shrubbery on Georgetown 
heights, and just across the Potomac from our 
fort. 

Adjt. Lawrence of the Second New York was 
about as slick a looking officer as ever walked out 
in front of a regiment on dress parade, and it is 

7i 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

not strange that Miss Southworth fell in love with 
him, and an intimacy sprang up that resulted in 
the fair young southern girl changing her name 
to Mrs. James V. Lawrence. 

During the preliminaries the writer was the 
bearer of many presumably tender missives over 
to the Georgetown cottage, and as he had to wait 
for the sweet-scented replies he was entertained 
by Mrs. Southworth, who probably knew just how 
fond a young, growing boy is of lemonade, cakes 
and other sweet things, and the charming lady 
took it upon herself to make life very pleasant to 
the youngster during the brief visits at her home. 
Soon after the marriage of the young couple 
Lieut. Lawrence was detailed on staif duty and 
was never returned to our regiment. 

CHRISTMAS IN CAMP. 

How well I remember my first Christmas in 
camp. Our company was at Fort Haggerty on 
the road leading from the Acqueduct bridge to 
Arlington. Capt. Smith's home had been one of 
the handsomest in Carthage before the war and 
under his command the fort had been transformed 
into one of the slickest ones in the defences of 
Washington. 

Christmas morning in 1862, after the calling 
of the roll our company formed in line and 
marched up in front of the captain's quarters. Sev- 
eral of the boys had provided themselves with 

75 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

some nice evergreen trees, and when the captain 
appeared the command was given "present arms" 
and the movement was executed with the trees. 
The fifer and drummer of the company then 
played "Hail to the Chief" and "The Girl I Left 
Behind Me." 

The captain appeared mightily pleased and 
made us a nice little speech, and said that he wished 
that he could send us all home for the holidays but 
as that was an impossibility he had planned to 
make us as happy as circumstances would permit, 
and the quartermaster had been furnished money 
to get up a dinner in keeping with the occasion. 
Cheers and a tiger were given for our kind-heart- 
ed commander, and then the voice of one who has 
several times been mentioned by the writer spoke 
out: "Pardon me axin' the question, cap'n, but 
would there be a wee drop for anny so inclined.?" 
The captain smiled and nodded affirmatively. 

Our camp was near where there had been a brick 
yard, and with old bricks that had been dug out of 
the ground a tasty httle house had been built for 
the captain and a brick oven for the cooks. In 
this turkeys had been roasted and rice puddings 
and potatoes baked. There was also oyster stew, 
oysters and clams on the half shell and mince pies 
that some soldier's wife had made for us. None of 
old Co. H will ever forget that Christmas. After 
the feast pipes, tobacco and cigars were passed, 

76 




pq ti- 



2 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

and then pails of milk punch went round for those 
"so inclined." 

Ah, dear, brave old Co. H, what would I not 
give to see you line up once more as you did on 
that Christmas day in the long ago. 

For more than twenty-five years I could, from 
memory, call the roll of the original company, just 
as I had heard our old orderly, Tom Murphy, call 
it so many times. Poor Tom earned his shoulder 
straps but sleeps in a southern grave. 

Of the boys who made merry with us in old Vir- 
ginia on the Christmas day of long ago, many 
gave up their lives on the battlefields of the south, 
Potter, Williamson, Zeigler, Clapsaddle and Lieut. 
RofF at Cold Harbor; Ed. Roland, Smith, Thurs- 
ton, Slater, Crowner, Symonds at Petersburg; 
Billy Cook, Frank Farr, Tom Murphy and sev- 
eral others between there and Appomattox. 

No, old Co. H will never again fall in for roll 
call on this side of the "deadline." The tents are 
folded, the implements of war are rusting, I find 
that the cords and snares on my drum are fraying 
with age, "All is quiet on the Potomac." 

'Tis but a memory. 

VETERAN VOLIJNTEEES. 

A grave problem confronted the government In 
1863 for within a- few months it would lose the 
services of most of its tried and seasoned soldiers 
by reason of expiration of service. A proposition 

77 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

was made to the three years men that if they would 
re-enhst they would receive $402.00 bounty and 
a thirty day furlough. The proposition was ac- 
cepted by a majority of the old soldiers and the 
old organizations were retained with their officers. 

The most of our company and regiment re-en- 
listed. They sent us home in squads, and when it 
came my turn I was laid up with the mumps and 
could not go with my father. 

While I was north on my furlough Gen. Grant 
assumed command of the army confronting Gen. 
Lee and preparations were made for active opera- 
tions. 

My father wrote me that our regiment had re- 
ceived orders to be ready to go to the front at an 
hour's notice. 

My furlough had several days to run but I took 
the first train for Washington and in twenty-four 
hours walked into camp. 

I found our regiment all ready and awaiting or- 
ders. Field tents, rubber blankets and other 
things were Issued to us which Indicated that we 
were to take the field. 



78 



CHAPTER VII. 

OFF FOR THE FRONT. 

^^^"^ HE next day we assembled at Fort Cor- 
■ ^ ^ J coran. The regiment had been filled up 
^^^^/ with recruits until there were about 
1,800 men on the rolls. Probably 1,500 
were present for duty when we left to join the 
Army of the Potomac. 

We were ordered to "fall in" at noon and in a 
few moments we marched away with colors flying 
and the band playing a lively quickstep. 

It was like leaving home to go away from the 
forts we had learned to love so well, the huge walls 
of which had been cemented with the sweat from 
the brows of most of the men. 

The weather was fine when we started but after 
we had gone about two miles one of those drench- 
ing Virginia showers overtook us and we were 
wet to the skin. 

It does not need to rain over fifteeen minutes in 
Virginia to make the mud from six to twelve inches 
deep, so we had to wade in the red clay mud the 
other seven miles to Alexandria. 

79 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Much has been said and written about Virginia 
mud, but to appreciate its sticking quahties one 
needs to march and lie down and sleep in it. 

The boys used to wish that the editors who were 
writing the "On to Richmond" editorials could be 
compelled to take a twenty-five mile march in the 
mud loaded with a thirty or forty pound knapsack, 
a musket, forty rounds of ammunition, canteen 
and haversack with five days' rations. 

At Alexandria we boarded an old transport and 
made ourselves as comfortable as possible, lying 
out on the open decks in our rain-soaked clothing. 
I do not know that I ever slept sounder than that 
night, and when I opened my eyes in the morning 
found that we were at Belle Plain landing on the 
Potomac, the base of supplies for Gen. Grant's 
army. The river was filled with boats of every 
conceivable kind waiting to discharge their loads. 

During the forenoon we went ashore and were 
marched up on some high ground overlooking the 
river. We eyed with as much curiosity as a small 
boy would his first circus two or three thousand 
rebel prisoners captured at Spottsylvanla. 

The next morning. May 17th, 1864, we fell in 
bright and early, and at the command "fours 
right" marched in the direction of Fredericks- 
burg. 

The day was a fearfully hot one and the dust 
rising in clouds filled our mouths and nostrils, 
thoroughly impregnated our clothing, hair and 

80 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

skin, producing intolerable thirst. At the sight 
of a house or brook the men would make a break 
from the ranks and run for dear life to get a 
chance at the water. 

GOOD-BYE KNAPSACK. 

INIy first forenoon's struggle with a knapsack 
convinced me that I had got enough of it. Select- 
ing a shirt, towel, a pair of socks, soap and writ- 
ing portfolio I rolled them up in a blanket which 
I slung over my shoulder and went it more com- 
fortably. 

Many others imitated my example and the road- 
side from Belle Plain to Spottsylvania was strewn 
with blankets, knapsacks, overcoats, etc. We 
passed through Fredericksburg about sunset and 
assumed that a halt would be made near the city, 
but they did not halt us to even boil coffee, so we 
plodded on in the darkness, nibbled our hard tack 
and wondered how much that they thought we 
could stand. 

At midnight we had caught up with Grant's 
army after a march of thirty-five miles. 



8X 




CHAPTER VIII. 

IN A BIG FIGHT WITH HANCOCk's VETERANS. 

HE next morning we werd awakened by 
the booming, of cannon and clash of mus- 
ketry. As we got up off the ground we 
could sec smoke curling up from the tops 
of the trees on a hillside a mile or more to the south 
of us. We were foot-sore and covered M'ith dust 
from our big march of the previous day, and few 
of us had any water in our canteens. Before wc 
had time to find any or make coffee we got the 
command "fall in" and were soon advancing toward 
the firing line. 

On every hand there were evidences of the terri- 
fic fighting that had been going on for several 
days. The fields were strewn with clothing, knap- 
sacks, canteens, muskets, dead horses and broken 
artillery caissons, and the trees were riddled with 
bullets, shot and shell. The dead had been buried 
but with such haste that in many places the bodies 
were scarcely covered. One time as we came to a 
halt I was horrified to see a human hand protrud- 
ing from the earth near my foot. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

We had not gone far before we began to meet 
the wounded, some able to walk, while others were 
borne on stretchers and blankets. It surely began 
to look like real warfare. Our men grew silent 
and their faces took on a serious expression. We 
knew that our time had come and that the regi- 
ment with its full ranks was to strengthen the thin 
line in front. 

On our march the day before there had been 
much discussion among the musicians as to what 
we would do in case of a battle. No instructions 
had been given us and we had rather come to the 
conclusion among ourselves that when we got to 
close quarters we would drop out and keep as 
much out of range as possible. 

Our anxiety about the part we were to take in 
the conflict increased as we approached the front. 
Occasionally some of the boys would suggest to 
Harry Marshall, our drum major, that it was 
about time for us to fall out. There was "no use 
of us going up to get shot at when we had nothing 
to shoot back with." 

Finally when wc paused for a few moments 
Harry appoached the colonel and, saluting, asked 
it there was any use of us needlessly exposing our- 
selves. 

"Needless exposure," yelled the colonel. "What 

in did you enlist for.^* Your place is with the 

regiment and I'll see that you are instructed as 
to your duties." And, turning to our surgeon, he 

83 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

said: "Major, I want you to take charge of the 
musicians and in case of a fight see that the young 
rascals do .their duty." 

I have always thought that but for this inci- 
dent we should have seen less of the front line 
than we did that summer. 

Dr. Payne, our surgeon, was a fine fellow and 
he had seen much service before being assigned 
to our regiment. He immediately told us to fall 
out to one side and proceeded to tear up some red 
flannel in small strips which he tied around our 
right arms, explaining that this was a badge the 
enemy would respect when we were caring for the 
wounded. 

While the doctor was fixing us up our regiment 
marched by and there is nothing in all my war 
memories that made a deeper impression on me 
than that scene. 

I see them now as I saw them on that bright 
May morning — father, friends, comrades, march- 
ing with steady step, shoulder to shoulder, on to 
meet the foe in mortal encounter. 

We followed in the rear of the regiment and 
were halted just under the brow of a hill, where 
we stood in line nearly two hours. Bullets clipped 
small branches from the trees and shells went 
swishing through the air over our heads. A 
couple bursi: in front of us and an occasional solid 
shot would go rolling down the hill. 

Probably there is no more trying situation for 
84 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

troops to be placed in than to be held as a reserve 
during a battle. The tension on one's nerves is 
something awful. If one is going to be shot it is 
something of a satisfaction to be able to return 
the compliment. 

While the regiment was in line a few of us 
hunted up a spring and carried water to our 
friends who could not leave the ranks. One of the 
few times that I remember seeing tears in my 
father's eyes was when I handed him a canteen 
full of water that morning. 

The fighting in our front ceased about ten 
o'clock and we were moved about two miles to the 
left. In the afternoon we settled down in some 
woods and were permitted to take the rest we so 
much needed, and the next morning we were a jolly 
lot as we sipped our coffee and nibbled hardtack. 

Some of the men grumbled, however, because 
we did not get a chance to take a hand in the affair 
of the day before. 

The forces of Grant and Lee, numbering some 
200,000, had been hammering away at each other 
for about ten days and the carnage had been 
great, but the forenoon of the day in mind was as 
quiet and peaceful as if there was not an armed 
man within ten miles. 

It was but the calm before a storm, and scores 
of our regiment who were so full of life and hope 
that bright May morning were weltering in their 
blood before sundown. 

85 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

About two o'clock in the afternoon an orderly 
with foam-covered horse rode up to our colonel and 
handed him a message. The men noticed that the 
color came to the officer's face and they held their 
breath for the command that they knew was com- 
ing. 

Gracey, our little Swiss bugler, who was select- 
ed by Gen. Hancock a few weeks later to sound 
the charge for the Second Corps at Cold Harbor 
because his bugle could be heard failther than any 
other, blew a blast on his silver trumpet that 
brought every man to his feet and in less than five 
minutes the Second Heavy were standing in line 
at "attenition." 

The colonel rode out in front of the regiment 
and said "men of the Second New York, the time 
has come when you will have an opportunity to 
show your mettle. Keep together ; don't let your 
lines be broken ; keep cool ; obey orders and you 
will be all right." 

The men started a cheer for the colonel, but he 
motioned silence. Then came the command 
"Fours right, march !" 

We soon came to a nice smooth road which ran 
through the woods and then we got orders to 
"double quick." 

Then we heard heavy musketry firing which 
increased in volume continually and we thought 
the whole rebel army were taking a hand in. 

The boys in the ranks made sundry comments 
86 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

as we rushed along, such as "Guess we'll get ini- 
tiated this afternoon." 

"Wouldn't you like to be back in the forts 
now?" "Keep step there, Jimmy." Jimmy West 
was a little Irishman who could never keep step. 

When we emerged from the woods into a large 
open field we could see a long line of battle on a 
hillside probably half a mile away. 

Our regiment was quicky formed in column by 
battalions, our colors unfurled, and as we double 
quicked across that field 1,500 strong, with per- 
fect alignment as if it were a review, it was thrill- 
ing, inspiring and to have been there was to have 
the scene fixed in one's memory forever. Other 
regiments besides our own were hurrying to the 
front. Batteries of artillery went by with the 
horses on the gallop and the drivers lashing them 
just as you have seen them in pictures. 

Generals' aides and orderlies rode like mad to 
and fro directing the troops to positions, for Gen. 
Ewell had broken through the Union lines in a 
desperate effort to turn the right flank of Grant's 
army. 

THE PAGEANTRY OF WAR. 

War certainly has its fascinations as well as its 
horrors, and there is an enchantment that thrills 
in the movements of large bodies of soldiery with 
their bayonets glistening in the sun, the flags and 
guidons flying, the trumpets of the cavalry ring- 

87 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

ing piercingly and thrillingly, the field batteries 
rattling and rumbling along the road, with a score 
or more of bands playing. Nothing can make so 
striking or enchantng a picture. Artists can por- 
tray such a scene on canvas, but they cannot make 
you feel the thrill you experience when you are an 
active participant, touching elbows and keeping 
step with a thousand comrades whose hearts are 
young and gay. 

An officer rode up to our colonel and gave him 
instructions to report to Gen. Tyler off to the 
right of the open field. We were assigned a posi- 
tion behind a low stone fence, where we waited 
for about fifteen minutes. While lying there the 
order was given to "fix bayonets." If you have 
"been there" yourself you know all about it. If 
not, let me tell you in all sincerity that the click- 
ing of the cold steel will make an impression on 
one that will send the chills down his spine every 
time he thinks of it in after years. 

HORRIBLY SUGGESTIVE. 

From our position behind the wall we could not 
see the fighting, but the din of the battle came 
rolling and crashing to us through the woods and 
the wounded from the front line kept coming to 
the rear, covered with blood and the smoke of 
battle. 

The sight wasn't pleasant, and moreover it was 
an object lesson that was horribly suggestive. The 
88 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

affair was getting too serious for much joking by 
the merrymakers in the ranks. The men were 
silent, but I know that they were doing a heap of 
thinking. 

The orders to go forward did not come any too 
soon, for the suspense of waiting is ten times more 
trying to a man's nerves than to charge the ene- 
my's lines. 

We moved across another open field, where a 
Jefferson county battery ("C" of the 1st Artil- 
lery) was in position and shelling a piece of woods. 

Gen. Tyler ordered our colonel to detail two 
companies to support the battery and our com- 
pany was one of them. I had to go with the reg- 
iment, and my father stay with his company. 
There was not much time for leave-taking. The 
father drew his boy to his side, pushed his cap 
back, pressed his lips to his forehead. Neither 
spoke. It was not necessary. Each knew the 
other's thoughts. 

Capt. Smith, whose heart was tender as that of 
any woman, — "The tenderest are the bravest" — 
patted the drummer boy of Co. H on his shoulder 
as they parted and when a few feet had separated 
them called to him "good-bye," and waved his 
sword in what might be the last farewell. 

Our regiment took an advanced position to the 
left of the battery where we were ordered to lie 
down and the men loaded their rifles. "Begins to 
look like business, boys," remarked Dave Russell. 

89 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Little pufFs of dust were kicked up here and there 
as the rebel bullets struck the ground in our front. 

Soon they came nearer and finally began to go 
over our heads with a "zz-p-" or a "c-s-ss-s-" 
which indicated that the Confederates were crowd- 
ing back the Union lines. "This ain't a fair show." 
observed one of the boys. "Let us lay here and 
get plugged full of lead and never see a reb or get 
a chance to shoot one." 

The surgeon ordered us to leave our knapsacks, 
drums, etc., in the yard of a house near by, and 
I will mention now that up to this time we have 
never seen that house again. 

About the time we had got ourselves in fighting 
trim Gracey's bugle sounded "forward," and our 
regiment went across the field on a run and into 
the pine woods, the artillery behind us throwing 
shell over our heads. The woods were full of fly- 
ing missiles and the first the Second New York 
knew they got a volley of musketry from the flank 
and rear. Investigation revealed the fact that the 
troops who had fired the volley were the Seventh 
New York. The woods were so dense and full of 
smoke that it was hard to discern a body of troops 
a short distance away. The enemy could only be 
located by the flash of their giuns. 

Our colonel was ordered by Gen. Tyler to hold 
a slight elevation near a ravine. Our lines were 
spread out and the men ordered to lie down. 

"Steady, men, and don't shoot too high," sang 
90 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

out Col. Whistler. "Better order them rear rank 
fellows to aim higher or they'll blow our brains 
out," says one of the front rank men. 

"Shut up ; no talking in the ranks !" command- 
ed Adjutant Coi'win. All of this time men were 
getting hit by the rebel bullets. "Bill Wright's 
killed," someone said, and the news was passed 
along the line. 

"If I was in command of this regiment I'd order 
a charge on the Johnnies and I'd drive them or git 
licked in the attempt," said big Dave Russell. 

One of the saddest sights of the day was to see 
the major of the First Massachusetts as he rode 
back through our lines with a bullet wound in his 
forehead and the blood streaming all over him, and 
he hardly able to hang on to his horse. He died a 
few moments later. 

This regiment had about 350 casualties in the 
fight. Over one-third of that number were killed 
outright. 

The contor'tions of one of our drum corps boys 
who was badly demoralized by the flying bullets, 
was so ludicrous that I should have laughed if I 
had been killed for it the next minute. Every time 
one of those "z-z-ping" minies came near him he 
would leap in the air and then fall flat on the 
ground. 

Was I frightened.'* Hold your head down so 
that I can whisper in your ear and I will admit in 
strict confidence that I was never so scared in 

91 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

all my life. Biit I felt somewhat as one of our 
boys expressed it when he said: "By the great 
horn spoons, they'll never know I'm afraid if I can 
help it." 

While we were lying there one of the old Penn- 
sylvania Buck Tail regiments of the Fifth Corps 
passed over us to do some skirmish work. There 
were several of these regiments and they were fam- 
ous fighters. The men all wore a buck's tail on 
their caps. 

Late in the afternoon our regiment took part 
in a charge and had to go over a rail fence. Our 
colonel tried to have his horse jump the fence but 
he would not do it until one of the men took a 
couple of rails off the top, and then he went over. 
Down in a ravine he got stopped again with a 
vine that caught him across the breast. Col. 
Whistler swore like a trooper and put the spurs 
to him, but the vine was too strong and men had to 
trample it to the ground. Col. Whistler elevated 
himself several degrees in the estimation of his 
men that day by going into the battle mounted. 
He had been a martinet when in camp, and was of 
a peppery disposition. But his conduct at Spott- 
sylvania commanded the respect of all. "I tell 
you," said one of the boys, "Jeremiah N. G. Whis- 
tler is an old fighting cock." "He can't forget his 
tactics, though," said another. "Do you mind 
that when we got up to make that dash through the 
93 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

ravine we did not get the command 'forward' un- 
til he had dressed us to the right." 

The fighting continued until well into the night 
and when the report of the last gun died out the 
troops laid down on their arms until morning. 

The surgeons and their helpers worked all night 
removing the wounded. We carried them out of 
the woods in blankets. 

In the rear of our division there were three am- 
putating tables with deep trenches dug at the 
foot. In the morning those trenches were full of 
amputated limbs, hands and fingers, and the piles 
above the ground were as high as the tables. The 
confederate forces withdrew from our front in 
the night, leaving their dead on the field, which 
were buried by our men as they laid away their 
comrades. 

The clash of arms in which we had had a part 
was no small affair. Probably more than 40,000 
men on each side had taken part in the battle, but 
the country was so uneven and densely wooded 
that a participant saw but little of what was go- 
ing on outside of his own regiment. In fact in 
almost every engagement the rank and file knew 
but little of the operations away from their imme- 
diate vicinity. 

At our informal dress parade that night an or- 
der from Gen. Meade was read, complimenting 
the heavy artillery regiments for their soldierly 
conduct the previous day, and saying he would 

93 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

thereafter rely upon them as upon the tried vet- 
erans of the Second and Fifth Corps with whom 
we had fought our first great battle. 

The day after a battle is always a sad one in a 
regiment. Men search for missing comrades and 
some are found cold in death who were full of life 
the day before. No jests are spoken. The ter- 
ribleness of war has been forcibly impressed on 
all participants. 

The surgeon said that our colonel praised the 
boys for their assistance in caring for the wound- 
ed, but part of us lost our drums, as after we fol- 
lowed the regiment into the woods the lines were 
shifted about so that we never again saw the 
house where we had left them. But drums were 
little used the next few monlths. Drills, inspec- 
tions, dress parades, etc., gave place to marching, 
fighting, digging trenches and throwing up 
breastworks, for we were with Gen. Grant, who 
proposed to "fight it out on that line if it took all 
summer." 



94 




CHAPTER IX. 

"on to RICHMOND." 

EN. GRANT, having decided to change 
his base of operations, directed Gen. 
Hancock on the 20th to move his corps 
to the Ipft as soon after dark as practi- 
cable. Gen. Horace Porter, who was one of 
Grant's aides, says that he purposely detached the 
Second Corps from the rest of the army, his ob- 
ject being to tempt Liae to attack them. 

Of course we poor mortals in the ranks knew 
nothing of the plans. The privates, nor even the 
drummer boys, are seldom consuRed in such mat- 
ters. 

Probably if we had been told, in our then used- 
up condition, that we were setting out on a march 
that was to last all night and through the next 
day we should have felt that we could never en- 
dure it. 

Before starting on the march our regiment was 
formally assigned to service with General Hancock 
the "Superb," and his Second Corps, and it has al- 
ways been a pride with me that the fortunes of 
war cast our lot with such a matchless leader. 

95 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

If in my reminiscences I seem to be partial to 
this organization, I hope my comrades who fought 
bravely under other standards will forgive me. I 
mean no comparison. I am speaking of my own, 
and should we not love our own the best? 

When we started, orders were passed through 
the different regiments that there must not be any 
talking or any unnecessary noise, and the officers 
took pains to impress upon us that the rebel cav- 
alry might dash among us at any moment- 

We marched for a long time down a densely 
wooded road. The night was a beautiful one with 
the moon, low in the sky, shining in our faces as we 
plodded along the road. 

NAPS ON THE MARCH. 

I made the discovery that night that one could 
sleep walking. Don't you believe it.'' Ask any 
old soldier. But one would hardly get into a nice 
nap before there would be a halt away up at the 
head of the column and several thousand men 
would go bumping into each other. 

Then everybody would drop right down in the 
road and try to get a rest there, but before we 
could get two winks ft would be "fall in, fall in, 
boys," and away we would go again. 

A FUNNY PANIC. 

A most ludicrous incident occurred during our 
march that night. A halt of perhaps five minutes 

96 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

had permitted nearly all of us to drop off into the 
arms of morpheus when some general's pack horse 
broke away from the rest and came tearing down 
the lines, his load of camp kettles and other culin- 
ary equipage making a great clattering and cre- 
ating something of a panic. When I awoke I 
was running through the woods about three or 
four rods from the road, and everybody else was 
doing likewise. One of our band boys ran into a 
tree and smashed his horn. Others lost their caps, 
blankets, etc., and we were a very demoralized lot 
of soldiers for a few moments. But order was 
soon restored and the march was continued the 
balance of the night without any other event wor- 
thy of note. 

About daybreak we heard musketry, and our 
brigade, which was then commanded by Gen. Nel- 
son A. Miles, was rushed forward to support the 
cavalry, who were having a brisk little skirmish 
with the enemy at Guinea station. The rebels 
were routed, however, without the infantry firing a 
shot. 

We halted long enough to make coffee and then 
resumed the march, passing that day through a 
part of the state that had not been ravaged by 
war. 

IN A BEAUTIFUL LAND. 

We marched along beauifully shaded roadways, 
and the air was fragrant with May blossoms. 
Herds of cattle grazed in luxuriant pastures. 
7 97 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The homes of the people were comfortable and 
everything looked peaceful and inviting to the 
thousands of poor, tired soldiers as they went 
marching by. 

We only made one halt during the day, which 
was an intensely hot one. Strong men fell down 
by the roadside from sheer exhaustion, but the 
rear guards would drive them on when they came 
along, for to be left behind was certain capture, 
and there was not ambulance accommodations 
enough for the wounded. 

Late in the afternoon we reached Milford and, 
crossing the Mattapony river at that point, in- 
trenched ourselves on the south side, remaining 
there the next day, which gave us a much needed 
rest and afforded us an opportunity to bathe in 
the river. 

It is said the Mattapony was so named because 
it is made up from four small streams which are 
called respectively, the: Mat-Ta-Po-Ny. 

I was feeling quite down in the mouth, so to 
speak, when we halted that night, for when I had 
been taking a little nap in the shade of a rail fence 
at our midday halt some miscreant had stolen my 
haversack containing five days' rations. But, 
thanks to my big hearted comrade, I did not suf- 
fer for food as long as he had a mouthful. 

A GOOD CHUM. 

"Will" Coleman was a comrade worth having. 
98 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

A little older than I, of splendid physique and 
health, brave, jolly and unselfish, and one who 
would stand by you until the last. All through 
the long marches, hardships and battles incident 
to the campaigns from Spottsylvama to Appo- 
mattox we shared our rations, drank from the 
same canteen and slept under the same blanket. 
Words are inadequate to express what such com- 
radeship means. No crucible ever tested metal 
more thoroughly than army life tested human 
character. 

Some that much had been expected of, when 
put to the test, shrunk in our estimation. Other 
modest souls developed into heroes when occasion 
demanded. 

It was a grand experience and I believe with 
few exceptions all the survivors have been better 
men therefor. 

THREE FAMOUS LEADERS. 

On May 23 we resumed our march and Gens. 
Grant and Meade rode with Gen. Hancock at the 
head of our corps in the forenoon. 

We reached the North Anna river in the after- 
noon and found the enemy in force with plenty of 
batteries in position on the south side. A spirited 
artillery duel took place and about six o'clock in 
the evening Gen. Hancock ordered an assault on 
the enemy, who had possession of the two bridges. 
They were driven across the river, but held the 
south end of one bridge during the night and made 

99 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

several attempts to bum it, but a heavy thunder 
shower came up and partly frustrated their 
efforts. 

We all got a thorough drenching, for we had 
no tents and had to lie on the ground and take it. 

In the morning it was found that the enemy 
had abandoned their advanced works near the 
river and our division crossed over and prepared 
to attack them, but their intrenchments were found 
so strong the design was abandoned. 

A FAMINE AND A FEAST. 

The supply trains had failed to connect with 
the army, and we were almost destitute of rations. 
I heard many offers of fifty cents to one dollar for 
a hard tack. The only thing my chum and I had 
to eat in the forenoon was some corn we found 
scattered on the ground where horses had been 
fed. 

In the afternoon the irrepressible Coleman went 
on a foraging expedition and brought back a 
small chicken, a piece of veal and a "hoe cake," 
which made us a good meal. 

That night the army recrossed the river again 
and we started out on another of our all-night 
marches with mud in places half way to our knees. 

All of our movements that summer took the form 

of a half circle. We used to march twenty or 

thirty miles to change the front of not more than 

one-fourth of that distance, and the boys very 

100 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

appropriately called the movements "Slewing to 
the left." 

The afternoon after leaving the North Anna 
river we brought up at the Pamunky, which we 
crossed on pontoon bridges. The enemy was 
strongly entrenched not far from the river and 
fired on our skirmishers. Everything indicated 
hot work. Our regiment was ordered into an ad- 
vanced position and we built breastworks in plain 
sigjit of our adversaries, expecting that they 
would open on us with their artillery every moment, 
but for some reason they did not do so. 

AN ASSAULT. 

Early the next day our division, led by Gen. 
Francis C. Barlow — and a braver soldier never 
lived— assaulted the rebel lines and to do so had 
to cross a swampy ravine fully exposed to the fire 
of the enemy, who were protected by earthworks. 
The losses of our troops were severe. 

INVITED TO COME FORWARD. 

The musicians of our regiment were back under 
the cover of some woods and while the engagement 
was at its height we saw big George B. — our ser- 
geant major — coming across the field on a run to- 
ward us. George explained his mission in a few 
words, which were about as follows : 

"Col. Whistler wants you boys to come up on the 
fighting line and help the surgeons take care of 
101 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

our wounded, and you better come p. d. q., too, for 
the old man was pretty mad when he missed you." 

It is needless to say we got there lively, but 
while we were carrying some wounded past our 
brigade commander he remarked that we were en- 
dangering their lives more by trying to remove 
them during an engagement than to leave them on 
the ground until the fighting was over. 

We thought it the safest, however, to obey our 
colonel, and after that we took good care that he 
did not have to send an officer to hunt us up. 

The casualties of our regiment in this engage- 
ment, which was called the battle of Totopotomy, 
were seven killed and seventy-seven wounded. 

THE REBEL YELL. 

It is seldom that one in the ranks has a chance 
to see much of a battle except what may be hap- 
pening in his own regiment. Such an opportunity 
came to my chum and me at Totopotomy the after- 
noon of May 31st, 1864, when we witnessed the 
charge in open field of a Confederate division and 
heard for the first time the real Rebel yell, which 
was so unlike the cheers of the Union soldiers. 

After the assault of our division in the fore- 
noon, matters settled down and there was compara- 
tive quiet for a couple of hours. About 2 o'clock 
we heard some lively cannonading over to the right 
and Coleman, who was one of those boys that 
always wanted to see all that was going on, sug- 
102 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

gested that we walk over that way. We found a 
battery of artillery in an advanced position shell- 
ing a piece of woods. The captain sat upon a 
camp stool dressed in a white duck suit and gave 
directions to his men as though it was target prac- 
tice. We two boys stood on the earthworks and 
watched the effect of the exploding shells as they 
cut off the limbs of the trees or ploughed up the 
sod in the field in front of the woods. We learned 
from the artillerymen that the Confederates were 
massing troops preparatory to making a charge. 
Soon the rebel yell broke loose and a long line of 
gray came out of the woods and moved forward 
in perfect formation. Not a soldier wavered. The 
scene was thrilling and we were quite unmindful 
of the fact that our position was a dangerous one. 
The Confederate troops were supported by a num- 
ber of pieces of artillery and the gunners had a 
perfect range on our battery and their shells were 
soon bursting all about us. Coleman and I quit 
our sight-seeing from the top of the breastworks 
and got down behind them, peeping out occasion- 
ally to watch the movements of the advancing 
enemy. When they had got within close range our 
battery opened on them with case shot and cannis- 
ter, cutting swaths in the ranks of the advancing 
forces, but they would close up and come on and it 
looked as though the battery was lost. The cap- 
tain had received orders to withdraw, but it was too 
late for him to get away with his guns so he con- 
103 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

eluded to stay and do the best he could. Several 
of his horses were killed and disabled and one of 
the caissons was blown up. Just when it looked as 
though the rebels were going to sweep everything 
before them we heard a loud, long cheer and a 
division of the gallant old 5th Corps double-quicked 
out to meet them and turned the tide the other 
way, and soon the Johnnies were in full retreat. 
They left many dead and wounded in our front, 
Gen. Ramsey being among the killed. 

This was one of the most spectacular engage- 
ments that I ever witnessed and was about the 
only one where I had a good opportunity to watch 
the effects of artillery fire directed against a charg- 
ing column. Need I say that it was not necessary 
to keep a diary of such experiences. They were 
indelibly impressed on my memory as I doubt not 
they were on that of all other participants. 



104 



CHAPTER X. 

BLOODY COLD HARBOR. 

^^^^^^ HE next move in the great game of 
M ^ J war between Grant and Lee was Cold 
^^^^/ Harbor — a name indelibly impressed 
upon every survivor of the campaign. 
It recalls two weeks of hunger, thirst, hardships 
that language is inadequate to describe; unsuc- 
cessful assaults and losses, that tell the story of 
most desperate fighting. It was Greek against 
Greek, veteran against veteran. 

No one seems to know why the place was so 
named for, as Pat, Devereaux of our company ex- 
pressed it, " 'twas no harbor at all, and divil a 
drop of water to make 'wan wid." Grant con- 
sidered it an important point, however, and tried 
to get there ahead of Lee, but as a "comrade in 
gray" expressed it, "Uncle Robert wasn't caught 
napping anywhere." 

Our corps reached there at a little past 6 the 

morning of June 2, after an all-night march with 

the heat and dust oppressive beyond description. 

An attack had been ordered for the morning, but 

105 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

was postponed because of the exhausted condition 
of the troops. 

A DESPERATE WISH. 

If I tell you that I heard many wish that they 
might receive a wound in the impending fight you 
may think me "yarning," but it is true neverthe- 
less, for the men were so utterly worn out that 
they would have willingly risked a wound for the 
sake of the rest it would give them. 

The troops were placed in position during the 
day and all instructions issued to the various com- 
manders preparatory for the assault that was to 
take place at 4.30 the morning of the 3d. 

A bugler's grief. 

Pardon a little digression while I tell you about 
a bugler who was a bugler from "way back." 
There were hundreds and thousands of buglers in 
the army, but I never heard one who could touch 
a note to George Gracey of our regjment. One 
blast of his trumpet would indicate the location 
of the 2d New York, among a score of regiments. 
There was music in every sound he made, and I 
have seen officers of other commands stop and lis- 
ten when the little Swiss was trumpeting the calls. 

At Cold Harbor he was selected by Gen. Han- 
cock to sound the charge which sent 20,000 of his 
men into action, because his bugle could be heard 
clearer and farther than others. It was a proud 
106 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

moment for our little bugler, but the story is not 
complete without telling you how the tender- 
hearted fellow sat down and wept like a child, when, 
a few moments later, he saw the ghastly proces- 
sion of mangled and bleeding comrades coming 
back. 

He was afterwards bugler for Gen. Nelson A. 
Miles at division headquarters and served until 
the close of the war. For many years he was 
bugler at the Bath Soldier's Home. 

I last saw him at a reunion of our regiment at 
Frankfort, N. Y., and, although he was bent over 
with the weight of three score years and ten, he 
had not forgotten his cunning with the bugle and 
when he alighted from an early morning train and 
let off a few blasts from his old war-scarred trum- 
pet the citizens of that peaceful Mohawk village 
must have thought that Gabriel had come. 



George Gracey has long since been "mustered 
out," and he who had trilled that sweet, sad and 
long farewell at the graves of thousands of his 
comrades has had "taps" sounded for him. 

THE BATTLE. 

When the rays of the rising sun lifted the mists 

from the Chickahominy lowlands on the morning 

of June 3, 1864, Cold Harbor was scarcely known 

beyond the sound of a rifle shot. When that same 

107 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

sun was dropping behind the western horizon in 
the evening of that day the name was on the 
tongues of milhons all over the land. 

Promptly at 4.30 a. m. the attack was made by 
the 2d, 6th and 18th corps. Gen. Francis B. Bar- 
low (after the war attorney general of New York) 
led our division and forced the enemy to retreat 
from a sunken road. 

Gen. Nelson A. Miles was our brigade com- 
mander at the time. 

Beyond the road was a hill from which the 
enemy's artillery were enabled to do frightful 
execution. Barlow again ordered a charge and 
led his men with a rush, carrying everything be- 
fore them, capturing several hundred prisoners, a 
stand of colors and three pieces of artillery. Gen, 
Gibbons' second division on the right did some 
magnificent fighting. Gen. Birney's third division 
were in reserve and not actively engaged. 

The vigorousness of the contest may be inferred 
from the fact that the losses of the two divisions 
were over 2,200 and the assault was over inside 
of one hour. 

The casualties of the other commands engaged 
brought the losses of that assault up to nearly 
6,000 men. 

Think of it ! Quite one-fourth of the population 
of Watertown put out of action in less than one 
hour's time. 

The musicians of our regiment were not with 
108 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the assaulting column this day, but the writer had 
a father with the force and can assure the reader 
that it was a mighty anxious time until he found 
him unharmed. 

BRAVERY OF THE WOUNDED. 

We had plenty of work to do in assisting the 
surgeons. Acres of ground were covered with 
bleeding, mangled men with the dust and smoke of 
battle upon them. It was touching to notice how 
bravely most of them endured suffering while need- 
ing attention and comforts that could not be given 
them. 

I recall how little Will Whitney, one of the 
"ponies" of our company as the boys were called, 
lay there on the ground shot clear through the 
body, patiently waiting his turn, while a big fel- 
low with a wounded hand was dancing around and 
making a terrible fuss until Whitney, thoroughly 
disgusted, spoke out. "Shut up, there, old man, 
you're not the only one that got scratched in this 
fight." 

I assisted to the rear another of the lads of Co. 
H, Henry C. Potter, a former schoolmate at Car- 
thage, and as bright and promising a young man 
as any who went to the war. His left arm was 
badly shattered, necessitating an amputation. 
There was not a murmur ; not a regret. He was 
glad it was not his right one, for with that saved 
he could be of some help to his father in the store. 

109 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

He made me promise to stay by him during the 
operation, and after it was over I assisted him into 
an ambulance and bade him a last good-bye, for 
he did not live to see Jefferson county again. 

IN INTRENCHMENTS. 

After the fighting of June 3 Gen. Grant in- 
structed the commanding officers to have the troops 
intrench themselves as best they could. 

In many places the lines were only forty or 
fifty yards apart. The ground all about was low 
and marshy, which caused chills and fever. 

Our regiment occupied a sort of angle so that 
we were exposed to bullets from the flank as well 
as front. The sharpshooters got in lots of their 
deadly work at Cold Harbor, and if a head was 
shown above the earthworks several "minies" 
would go whizzing past. Just for fun the boys 
used to elevate their caps on a bayonet for the 
"Johnnies" to shoot at. 

The men on the picket line dug holes or trenches 
to protect themselves and could only be relieved 
at night under the cover of darkness. All day 
long they would lie there in the broiling sun with 
little food or water, and between the lines were 
dead men and horses which polluted the atmosphere. 
Some of the wounded from the fight of the 3d were 
on the field up to the 7th, completely covered by 
the fire of the enemy's pickets and sharpshooters, 
110 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

although the men made heroic efforts every night 
to bring their comrades in. 

A TRUCE. 

"Let us bury our dead: 

Since we may not of vantage or victory prate; 

And our array, so grand in the onslaught of late. 
All crippled has shrunk to its trenches instead. 

For the carnage was great; 
Let us bury our dead." 

"Haste and bury our dead! 

No time for revolving of right and of wrong; 

We must venture our souls with the rest of the throng; 
And our God must be judge, as He sits over head. 

Of the weak and the strong. 
While we bury our dead." 

Gen. Grant made overtures to Lee the 5th for a 
truce, but no cessation of hostihties took place 
until the evening of the 7th, the hours being from 
6 to 8. 

The dead were buried where they fell and, 
strange as it may seem, quite a few men were 
found alive after lying there about four days with- 
out any food or water except what they may have 
had when wounded. 

The case of a man I assisted in bringing in our 
lines who had five wounds on his body was a sad 
one, but the surgeons thought his life could be 
saved. 

I wish I might find words to portray to the 
reader something of the impressiveness of the scene 
at Cold Harbor that night. 
Ill 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Imagine, if you can, two mighty armies — that 
for weeks had been grappling with each other in 
deadly contest, each doing its utmost to slay and 
destroy the other, laying aside their implements of 
war as the day draws to a close, and with the sun 
casting its last red glare over all, as out from the 
ranks on either side came the men of war on their 
errand or mercy; the blue and gray interming- 
ling, looking for friends and comrades that had 
fallen; permitted to carry them back into their 
own ranks to live or die among those with whom 
they served. 

The picture will never be effaced from my mem- 
ory, and all who witnessed that or a similar scene, 
will heartily endorse the saying of the late Gen- 
eral Sherman that "War is hell." 

REFUSED TO BE BURIED. 

The burial of the dead on the battlefield had 
to be done so hurriedly many times that more than 
one poor fellow who perhaps had been stunned and 
left on the field had a "close call" to being buried 
alive. A case in mind was that of one at Cold Har- 
bor who had been picked up as dead, and as the 
men dropped their burden by the open trench the 
shock resuscitated the man and he faintly asked : 

"What's going on, boys.?" 

The response was, "We were going to bury you, 
Shorty." 

112 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"Not if I know myself," he replied. "Get me 
a cup of coffee and I'll be all right; I won't be 
buried by that country clodhopper." 

The "clodhopper" referred to was the sergeant 
in charge of the squad, who belonged to a company 
of our regiment that came from the central part 
of the state, while the man who had been so near 
the "dark valley" was a member of a New York 
City company. 

TO ARMS AGAIN. 

At 8 o'clock sharp the white flags were furled, 
and the buglers from either side sounded the "re- 
call." The men returned to their commands, the 
swords were unsheathed, the muskets reloaded, the 
cannon unmuzzled and hostilities were resumed — 
such is war. 

"Hark! the musketry roars, and the rifles reply: 
Oh, the fight will be close and the carnage be dread; 

To the ranks let us hie — 
We have buried our dead." 



11? 




CHAPTER XI. 

HANCOCK AND HIS MEN. 

ENERAL HANCOCK possessed to a re- 
markable degree the power of exciting 
to enthusiasm the men he so often 
led to victory. And even a drummer 
boy may be pardoned the pride he feels in the en- 
during fame of this intrepid commander. 

During the '64 campaign he was compelled to 
ride in an ambulance on the long marches because 
of the breaking out afresh of his old Gettysburg 
wound. But he did not ask a leave of absence, 
and when there was any fighting he mounted his 
horse and was at the head of his troops. 

The personnel of his corps was probably the 
most unique of all the army. The most prominent 
organization and one deserving more than a pass- 
ing notice was the famous "Irish brigade," the 
representatives of that race which distinguished 
itself on the fields of Fontenoy. 

This brigade never lost a flag, although it cap- 
tured OA^er twenty stands of colors from the enemy. 
11* 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The Irish brigade was probably the best known 
of any organization in the army. 

It belonged to the first division of Gen. Han- 
cock's corps. 

The brigade was in continuous service and lost 
over 4,000 men in killed and wounded, more men 
than it ever mustered at one time, for the regi- 
ments composing it were small. 

The regiments which properly belonged to the 
brigade, together with their losses, were: 

Sixty-third New York, with a loss of 156 killed; 
69th New York, 259 killed; 88th New York, 151 
killed; 28th Massachusetts, 250 killed; 116th 
Pennsylvania, 145 killed. 

The old 69th New York lost more men in action 
than any other infantry regiment from the Empire 
State. 

At the "Bloody Lane," Antletam, eight color 
bearers of this regiment were successively shot 
down, and at Fredericksburg the color bearer was 
found dead with his flag wrapped around his body. 
Another instance illustraiting the devotion of the 
brave Irish boys for the flag of their adopted 
country was at the "Bloody Lane," where 16 men 
of the 63d New York were killed or wounded 
carrying the colors that day. 

An incident of the brigade's assault on Marye's 

Heights was the distribution of little sprigs of 

green to the men as they stood in line waiting the 

order to forward. It is related that their gallant 

115 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

commander, Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher, placed 
one in his cap. The assault failed, but not for 
lack of bravery and dash, as attested by the long, 
well-aligned row of dead within a few yards of 
the rebel breastworks ; and by each ashen face was 
a sprig of Irish green. 

There was another Irish brigade under Hancock 
composed of Pennsylvania troops, and commanded 
by Gen. Joshua Owen. They distinguished them- 
selves at Gettysburg and were commonly known 
as "Paddy Owen's regulars." 

Another brigade of the corps was known as 
"Corcoran's legion." 

The second corps was prominent by reason of 
its long continuous service at the front. It in- 
scribed upon its banners a greater number of en- 
gagements than any corps of the army. Likewise 
its casualty list was the largest. 

It also had to its credit the capture of more 
men, guns and colors from the enemy than the 
rest of the Army of the Potomac combined. 

Many years after the war General Hancock 
attended a national encampment of the G. A. R., 
and after the veterans had passed in review a dis- 
tinguished U. S. Senator remarked to the general 
that he saw less of his old corps represented than 
other organizations and asked the reason why, to 
which Hancock replied, "The men of the 2d Corps, 
Senator, are mostly in heaven." 
X16 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

THE GENERAL AND THE DRUMMEE BOY. 

A score or more of years after the war, when 
General Hancock was in command of the Depart- 
ment of the East, with headquarters at Governor's 
Island, the writer happened in New York and the 
desire came over him to get a look at his old com- 
mander once more. He remembered that in the 
army there is a great disparity in the rank of a 
general in command and the boys who beat the 
drums, therefore he had no thought of a personal 
interview with the general. But when he was walk- 
ing off the landing he saw a distinguished looking 
officer approaching, and recognizing him as the 
leader he had been proud to follow in other days, 
something of the old time enthusiasm of those days 
was rekindled, and as they met the ex-drummer boy 
saluted and made known his former connection with 
the general's old command. No other introduction 
was necessary. The hearty greeting gave proof 
that Hancock had a warm place in his heart for 
the least of his "boys," as he called them. 

The general was planning a trip to Sandy Hook 
for that day to inspect some new ordnance and an 
invitation was extended to the ex-drummer boy to 
be one of the party. There were several distin- 
guished officers in the company, but none received 
more attention from the general than his humble 
follower of the Sixties. 

Later the writer exchanged two or three letters 
117 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

with the general and in one he referred to his 
former command as follows: "Your references to 
the old 2d Corps bring up many pleasant and sad 
remembrances. It has always been my regret that 
it was not in my power to reward every man who 
served with me as he deserved." 

THE soldier's FARE. 

A lady said the other day, "Tell us in your next 
what the men had to edt out at the front, how 
they managed to do the cooking, washing of 
clothes, etc. 

Well now, the cooking did not bother us one bit, 
for we did not have anything to cook. When at 
Cold Harbor we had not had a vegetable for weeks, 
and beef only twice, and the flesh was so tainted 
with wild onions, on which the cattle had fed as 
they were driven through the country, that it could 
hardly be eaten. Coffee, hard tack, sugar, with 
a small allowance of salt pork two or three times 
during a month was what we had to live on. 

Money would not purchase anything because the 
sutlers were all sent to the rear when Gen. Grant 
crossed the Rapidan. 

Each man carried a little tin pail in which he 
boiled coffee, holding it over the fire with a stick. 
A quartet of boys who were making coffee one 
morning at Cold Harbor had their breakfast 
spoiled by a piece of a shell dropping into the fire. 
118 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

LAUNDERING ON THE MARCH. 

When we started out on the campaign our well 
filled knapsacks made us the laughing stock of the 
veterans of the 2d Corps, but gradually we had 
lightened our loads until we were down to a blanket, 
half a shelter tent, possibly a towel and a piece of 
soap, and some little keepsakes, all of which were 
twisted up in the blanket and slung over the 
shoulder. When we came to a stream the men 
would pull off their sliirts, rinse them and if no 
halt was made would put them back on wet, or else 
hang them on their guns to dry on the march. 

IN ANOTHER MAn's BOOTS. 

After a few weeks our shoes were nearly worn 
out, and in this connection I must turn aside to 
tell you how one of my comrades came into pos- 
session of a nice pair of boots. 

It was the day following a big battle. Our regi- 
ment was being moved to the left and in doing so 
we passed several amputating tables where the sur- 
geons had performed their operations on the 
wounded the night before. Trenches had been 
dug at the ends of the tables but were filled to over- 
flowing with hands, arms and legs. The boy espied 
a nice pair of boots protruding from one pile and, 
pulling them out, found that some staff officer had 
amputation performed above the knees. The limbs 
were drawn from the boots and the boy remarked 
119 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

that they were about his fit; so he exchanged his 
old shoes for them. I think I should rather have 
gone barefooted from there to Appomattox than 
to have done likewise. 



120 



CHAPTER XII. 

TO PETERSBURG. 

ON the night of June 12, '64, the with- 
drawal of the army from the trenches 
at Cold Harbor began. The picket lines 
were not disturbed until the army were 
several hours under way. 

Of course there were all sorts of rumors as to 
where we were bound for. Many were of the 
opinion that we were going to White House land- 
ing and take transports for Washington, but 
Grant was not that kind of a general. He had 
started out to destroy Lee's army and he was going 
to keep hammering away until they were licked. 

The march from Cold Harbor was a hard one. 
It is a great wonder how men could bear up under 
the hardship, considering what they had gone 
through for several weeks. 

No halt was made until morning, and after we 
had made coffee we were hurried on again. Would- 
be stragglers were forced along at the point of the 
bayonet. 

Before we left Cold Harbor our colonel had 
given orders that all of the drummer boys who 
were without drum should be given a gun, but I 
121 



Drum Taps in Dixie, 

was excused from carrying one on this march be- 
cause of an injury caused by falhng in a trench 
while removing] wounded from between the hnes 
one nigjit. My father tried in vain to get me 
a chance to ride in an ambulance or wagon ; there 
were not accommodations enough for the badly 
wounded. 

We arrived at Wilcox's Landing on the James 
river the night of the 13th, where a pontoon bridge 
2,000 feet long had been laid across the river. 

The next morning the army crossed over, and it 
was a sight to stir the sensibilities of even a weary 
soldier, to see the thousands marching across the 
river, all in battle array. The water was dotted 
with tugs, gunboats and transports loaded with 
troops, and what made it more impressive to me 
was the thought that it was a real genuine thing 
and not a mere show. 

A FORCED MARCH WITHOUT RATIONS. 

It was expected that our haversacks would be 
replenished after we crossed the river, but Gen. 
Hancock received a dispatch from Meade, order- 
ing him to march his command without delay to 
Petersburg. We started between 10 and 11 o'clock 
and at 6:30 that evening Hancock reported to 
Gen. Smith, commander of the 18th corps, whose 
troops had already engaged the enemy and cap- 
tured some of the outer defenses of the city. 

We relieved Smith's troops in the frortt line of 
122 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

works under the cover of darkness, and it was 
nearly midnight before we were in position and 
could lie down. 

THE BATTLE OPENS. 

At daylight Gen. Hancock ordered his brigade 
and division commanders to make reconnoissances 
in the front and the enemy was forced back all 
along the lines. 

Our regiment advanced through a peach or- 
chard, exposed to a scathing fire of musketry. 

Col. Whistler was struck in the face by a bullet, 
while superintending the deploying of skirmishers, 
but was not disabled so but that he remained with 
the regiment, but it did make him fighting mad, 
and as he walked up and down the hne with the 
blood dropping all over the front of his clothes he 
indulged in "cuss" words of the most expressive 
kind. 

After the fighting quieted down, Adjt. Brazee 
persuaded him to go to the rear. He was breveted 
brigadier general for his conduct that day, and 
given command of a brigade after his recovery. 
(Maj. Whistler of the regular army is a son of the 
officer mentioned.) 

Capt. Barry, the favorite officer of the line in 
our regiment, was killed that morning, and the be- 
loved commander of the Irish brigade, Col. Pat- 
rick Kelly, one of the best officers of the 2d corps, 
123 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

fell with the colors in hands while leading his men 
in a charge on a rebel fort. 

The balance of the army not having arrived 
Gen. Meade ordered Hancock to hold his position 
until evening, when a general attack would be 
made. 

A HOT PLACE. 

Our regiment had been in some pretty hot places 
that summer, but the position that day was a little 
nearer the infernal regions than we had ever been 
before. A low stone wall was our only protection 
from the enemy, who were well intrenched in some 
woods about 75 yards distant across an open field. 

Behind us the ground sloped down to a little 
brook which had its waters reddened with the blood 
of thousands of boys in blue a few hours later. 

Several batteries were massed in the rear of us 
and they kept up a furious cannonading to de- 
tract attention from the movements of the troops 
elsewhere. 

The air was full of hissing shells, which passed 
so close to us that we could feel their hot breath, 
and one would involuntarily clap his hand to his 
head expecting his cap to be swept off. Our posi- 
tion was so near the enemy that occasionally a shell 
would burst over us, wounding some of our men. 
Lieut. Col. Palmer of our regiment was so wounded, 
a ball from a spherical cased shell striking him in 
124 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the breast and, passing through his body, lodged 
back of the shoulder blade. 

Palmer sat down under a tree and told our sur- 
geon to cut it out. The doctor suggested that he 
better take something for the operation. But 
Palmer's grit was of the right sort and taking off 
his slouch hat he slapped the ground with it and 
said : "Go ahead, doc, and cut the damned thing 
out, and be lively about it, too, for others need your 
attention." 

Finally the casualties became so numerous that 
Maj. McKay went to the artillery officer and told 
him he was killing off our own men and if he did 
not cut his fuses longer he would order his regi- 
ment to take the battery, and when a little later a 
staff officer rode over and ordered the major under 
arrest he found out that a captain of a battery was 
one not to be fooled with when in line of duty. 

RATIONS AND A CLOSE CALL,. 

In the afternoon we heard the welcome news that 
rations were waiting us in the rear and details were 
made from the several companies to go after them. 

The writer went with Sergt. "West" Powell and 
the squad from our company. In order to get back 
to the supply trains it was necessary for us to cross 
several open spaces fully exposed to the fire of the 
confederates. 

When we came to such a place we would sep- 
arate, run a few yards and throw ourselves on the 
:25 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

ground, while the bullets would go whizzing over 
our heads. 

On our return each one carried a rubber blanket 
slung over his shoulder, containing rations for our 
hungry comrades. While we were creeping along 
close to an abandoned earthwork a shell struck 
the bank and exploding, hurled dirt and gravel 
over and about us. 

Something struck me on the side of my head 
and thinking I was shot I fell on the ground and 
called to my companions. They gathered around 
and on examination found I was sound except for 
a discolored spot and a stinging sensation prob- 
ably caused by a small stone striking me. 

My nerves were thoroughly shattered, however, 
and it took some minutes for me to muster up 
courage to get on my feet and face the music 
again. 

MEMORIES OF AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE. 

The 5th and 9th corps caught up with the 
army that day and while we were back at the 
wagon train we saw them marching into position 
on the left of our corps preparatory to the as- 
sault that was delivered later in the day. 

Two-fifths of a century has passed since the 
roar of the conflict that raged before Petersburg 
was hushed. The commanders of the opposing 
armies, indeed, most of the great actors, are dead, 
while a large portion of the rank and file have 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

answered the last roll-call, but the impressiveness 
of that scene is still fresh in my memory. As I 
write it all comes back to me. The long lines of 
blue with their glistening bayonets ; the gleaming 
sabres of the cavalry; the tattered banners. On 
a little knoll was Gen. Warren the gallant com- 
mander of the 5th Corps sitting sidewise on his 
horse with field glass in hand surrounded by staff 
officers and couriers. The artillery was thunder- 
ing. The rattle and roar of musketry along the 
lines was constant, and when the sun had dropped 
behind the horizon at the close of that day thou- 
sands of the blue and the gray were stretched out 
all over the fields. 

And the stars in Heaven, that night, looked 
down on scenes of suffering and horror that it is 
impossible to describe. 

June 17 was a day full of stirring events. The 
fighting was desperate and alternated between the 
different divisions and corps. Gen. Burnside's 
9th corps had the honors of the day, capturing 
several redans, a number of pieces of artillery and 
several hundred prisoners with their colors. 

June 18, Gen. Grant ordered another general 
assault, which resulted in heavy lossses and no suc- 
cess. Ten thousand men were killed and wounded 
in the three days' effort to capture Petersburg by 
direct assault. I find in Fox's statistics of regi- 
mental losses that he credits our regiment with 

12T 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

54 killed and 218 wounded and missing in the three 
days' conflict, and many commands fared worse. 

The killed, wounded and missing of our regi- 
ment from May 18 to June 23d, were according 
to Fox, 584. 

The troops were now thoroughly exhausted, 
owing to the incessant movements, both day and 
night, for about six weeks. There had not been 
24 hours in which they had not been in close con- 
tact with the enemy. The confederates acting on 
the defensive had been spared the long circuitous 
marches as well as the costly experiences of as- 
saulting intrenchments. 

Gen. Humphreys, who was chief of staff of the 
Army of the Potomac in 1864, placed the losses of 
the army from May 4 to June 19 as 61,400, of 
which 50,000 were killed and wounded. 

RESTING WHERE THERE IS NO REST. 

We rested three days, if it can be called rest 
where there is a constant interchange of shots so 
that one was liable to get a bullet through his 
head if it was exposed above the breastworks. 

At night the artillery indulged in duels and the 
shots could be seen traveling in the air. The 
curves of the shells from the mortars reminded us 
of the Fourth of July rockets and the boys called 
it their display of fireworks. 

What the men suffered that summer in the 
1^8 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

trenches before Petersburg none will ever know ex- 
cept those who experienced the hardships. 

We had no tents except the little shelter tents 
and probably one-half of the men were without 
those, consequently we had to resort to all kinds of 
contrivances to get shelter. Some dug individual 
bombproofs which not only furnished protection 
from the sun but were proof against any stray 
piece of shell that might drop among us. Our 
clothing had been worn for weeks, bathing was out 
of the question and cooking had to be done far 
in the rear. 

Life in camp with plenty of well cooked rations, 
sufficient tent accommodations, extra clothing, 
plenty of water for cooking and bathing and life 
in the trenches in close contact with the enemy is 
quite another story. 

TESTING THE METAL,. 

Constant marching, fighting and digging 
trenches for several weeks is the kind of soldier- 
ing that weeds the chaff out of a regiment, and 
it was noticeable that many officers who had been 
conspicuous on dress parades and reviews at 
Washington had failed to toe the mark when put 
to the test. 

"slewing" to the left again. 

On the evening of the 21st our corps was 
ordered to move to the left and the 9th corps took 
its place in the trenches. The movement was for 
9 129 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the purpose of extending the lines and getting 
possession, if possible, of the Weldon and South 
Side railroads, and, as usual, the 2d corps was 
selected to lead. 

Gen. Birney was temporarily in command of 
the corps, Gen. Hancock's wound giving him so 
much trouble that he had to take a few days' rest. 

The 6th corps had been ordered to support the 
2d, but owing to the thick woods in the vicinity of 
the railroad the corps became separated and the 
confederates under Gen. A. P. Hill slipped in be- 
tween the two commands and the first intimation 
we had of their presence was a furious firing on 
the flank and rear of our division which caused 
much confusion. So sudden and unexpedted was 
the attack that part of several regiments and their 
colors were captured and Gen. Gibbons' second 
division lost four cannon. 

The next morning the lost ground was regained 
and in this position we remained some time, erect- 
ing Forts Davis and Sedgwick, which were about 
a half mile apart south of the old Jerusalem plank 
road. 

CELEBRATING THE FOURTH. 

The Fourth of July, 1864, our bands played 
"Yankee Doodle" and other national airs, while 
strains of "Dixie," "My Maryland," etc., floated 
over from the rebel side. In the evening the usual 
artillery duels furnished fireworks for the occasion. 
130 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The lines were farther apart where we were at 
this time than over on the right near the Appo- 
mattox River, and the pickets used to meet on 
friendly terms under the cover of darkness. Of 
course there were strict orders against it, but they 
were disobeyed nightly and the men met and 
swapped stories, coffee for tobacco, newspapers, 
etc., and went back to their lines and were shoot- 
ing at each other again the next day. 

LINCOLN AT THE FRONT. 

President Lincoln made a visit to the front about 
this time and was enthusiastically received. 

The men knew by liis looks, his kind words to 
the sick and wounded that he was in deep sympathy 
with them, and I think his presence was of untold 
benefit to the rank and file of the army. 

DRUMMED OUT OF CAMP. 

The only man I ever saw drummed out of camp 
was down in front of Petersburg. He was a 
coward, and large placards proclaiming the fact 
were suspended from his neck, one on his breast 
and the other on his back, his head was shaved 
and a fifer and drummer marched him all through 
the division to the tune of the "Rogue's March," 
and then he was given a dishonorable discharge 
and sent home. 

131 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

CAVALRY vs. HEAVY ARTILLERY. 

Among the deserters from our company when 
we were in the forts, at Washington, was one 
whom we met more than a year later. 

One day, on the march as we were taking a 
few moments rest by the roadside a regiment of 
cavalry came along and halted opposite us. All 
at once one of our boys exclaimed "Well, I'll be 

blowed if there isn't Sam P , and sure enough 

there was our long lost Sam sitting astride of a 
horse. 

"Hello, Sam!" was shouted by several of his 
old comrades, and one ventured to ask what he 
had left his first love for.P" 

Sam's reply was about as follows : "I was will- 
ing to serve my country, but I'm cussed if I ever 
liked that heavy infantry business. It was a dirty, 
mean trick for them to enlist us for flying artil- 
lery and then change to heavy, and I didn't 
propose to tread mud with a big knapsack on my 
back, a musket and 40 rounds of ammunition, so 
I just transferred myself to the cavalry." 

About this time the bugles sounded "forward" 
and as Sam rode away with the dusty troopers 
he called out ; "Good-bye old company H," and 
thalt was the last we ever saw of him, but I doubt 
not he rendered good service in the cause for he 
was not a bad fellow, even if he did prefer cavalry 
to heavy artillery. 

133 



CHAPTER XIII. 

grant's headquarters at city point. 

GITY POINT, a little insignificant wharf 
town on a point of land at the intersec- 
tion of the Appomattox with the James 
River, about 25 miles from Richmond 
and seven or eight miles from Petersburg, leaped 
into world-wide importance in 24 hours in June '64. 
Gen. Grant made his headquarters there until 
the surrender of Lee and it was the base of sup- 
plies for the army of the James, as well as the 
army of the Potomac. 

Think if you can what it would mean to Sackets 
Harbor, if an army of 75,000 to 100,000 men 
should make that town the base of its operations 
against Watertown, and over on the Pillar Poinb 
shore was another army half as large. 

Do you know what it means to clothe and feed 
such an army with the bare necessities, to say 
nothing of what the horses require to live upon or 
of the shiploads of ammunition that was used in 
the nine months' operations.'' 

All had to be transported there by water, so 
133 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

you can imagine what a vast number of transports 
filled the river. 

Admiral Porter's fleet of monitors, gunboats 
and other warlike craft were anchored off Ber- 
muda Hundred in sight of Grant's headquarters, 
which was a modest log house on the bank of the 
Appomattox. 

Gen. Grant was the least pretentious general 
officer in the army and used to walk and ride 
around with only one orderly with him, and seldom 
wore any insignia of his rank. 

About a mile from his headquarters, towards 
the front, were the great field hospitals of the army. 
Large wall tents were used and they covered a 
vast acreage of ground. 

It is not likely that so many sick and wounded 
were ever gathered together in this country be- 
fore, and it is to be hoped that there may never 
be a repetition of it. 

Transports left daily loaded with sick and 
wounded, for as soon as a patient could stand 
the trip he was sent north to make room for the 
daily arrivals from the front. 

President Lincoln and many other distinguished 
men were Gen. Grant's guests at different times, 
and Mrs. Grant spent most of the fall and win- 
ter with her husband. 

The cannonading along Butler's lines as well 
as at Petersburg could be plainly heard at City 
Point. 

134 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

A WAR-TIME RAILROAD. 

Gen. Grant wanted a railroad for the trans- 
portation of supplies and ammunition to the front 
and he had one built. 

There was no pretense of grading; they just 
placed ties on top of the ground and laid the rails 
across them. 

After the road reached the front it was run 
along in the rear of the lines and as they were 
extended the road followed. 

The "Johnnies" got a range on the road for a 
mile or more and they wasted a lot of ammunition 
trying to hit the flying trains, which were partially 
protected by earthworks. 

They did not run any parlor cars for the sol- 
diers in those days and one day when the writer 
was the bearer of some dispatches to City Point 
he rode in a box car with Gens. Horace Porter, 
Forsythe and other officers of Grant's staff*, and 
it occurred to him that we were in greater danger 
than when at the front. After we got out of the 
car I heard the engineer talking about the fly- 
ing run and laughing about the shaking up he 
gave the officers. 

BEN BUTLER. 

Ben Butler was the most unique character of 
the civil war on the Union side and was as full of 
eccentricities then as in public life in later years. 

135 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

When Gen. Grant started out on his compaign 
against Richmond in ISG-l he sent Gen. Butler 
with a force of 40,000 soldiers around by water 
to operate from the south side. 

Butler landed his army on Bermuda Hundred, 
a peninsula that lies between the James and Appo- 
mattox rivers and there the confederates hemmed 
him in, or as Gen. Grant expressed it, "bottled 
him up" until Grant's army arrived at Petersburg. 
Then his intrenched position became of vast im- 
portance in the operations against the confederate 
capital. 

The 10th artillery boys, who were with that por- 
tion of the army on Bermuda Hundred, will re- 
member Butler's "Dutch Gap" canal. 

The historic James river, from City Point to 
Richmond, is one of the crookedest streams in the 
country, and the rebel batteries had command of 
a seven-mile bend in the river that Butler thought 
to get around by cutting across lots, so to speak. 

The distance across was not much over a half 
mile, and Butler conceived the idea of a canal. 
The banks were high and it required a vast 
amount of labor to make the excavation. 

The position was exposed to the fire of the rebel 
artillery and they kept up an incessant bombard- 
ment of the men at work who had holes in the 
banks after the manner of swallows and when 
things got too hot they would crawl into their in- 
dividual bomb proofs. 

136 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Butler did not get his canal finished in time to 
be of service to the gunboats before the fall of 
Richmond but 1 understand it was completed after 
the war. 

A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. 

One day when I happened to be at City Point 
a terrible explosion occurred. It was as though 
a hundred cannon had belched forth. The shock 
was almost overpowering. The ground trembled 
and the first thought was that the confederates 
had in some way gotten a position where they could 
shell Grant's headquarters and the hospitals. 
Looking up we saw a dense column of smoke rise 
to a great height and then spread out like a para- 
chute and from it fell death dealing missiles in 
every direction. Some exploded as far away from 
the landing as the hospitals. Shell flew in all 
directions. It literally rained muskets, sticks, 
pieces of iron, etc. When the smoke cleared away 
the scene from the bluff overlooking the wharves 
was sickening. Bodies were lying in every direc- 
tion, blackened and many without heads, arms 
or legs. 

The cause of the accident was a mystery until 
after the war when on the trial of Werz at Wash- 
ing-ton a rebel witness confessed that he had done 
it, making excuse that he had a package for the 
captain of an ammunition boat at the wharf. He 
knew the captain was away from the boat so he 
137 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

left the package containing an infernal machine 
for him with the fuse adjusted so that an explo- 
sion would soon follow. 

Among the other curiosities at the Point was 
a stockade where the rebel prisoners were corralled 
until they could be sent north. Another stock- 
ade was called a "Bull Pen," where all the de- 
serters, bounty jumpers, bummers and other 
freaks were kept until their cases could be dis- 
posed of. 

lee's desperate attempt. 

One morning before daylight in March, 186^, 
when President Lincoln was at City Point, Lee 
made a desperate attempt to break the lines in 
front of Petersburg. 

It is said his plan was to capture Fort Stedman 
and adjacent works, turn their guns on our de- 
moralized troops, capture the railroad running to 
City Point and destroy Grant's communication 
with his army. 

Fort Stedman was held by the 14th New York 
heavy artillery, a regiment with many members 
from northern New York, and the lines at this 
point were very close together. 

The confederate troops assigned for the des- 
perate work were commanded by Gen. Gordon. 
Under the cover of darkness they stealthily ad- 
vanced on the pickets, captured them and made 
a rush and captured the fort without hardly fir- 
138 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

ing a shot and took prisoners part of a 9th corps 
division. The guns of the fort were turned on 
neighboring forts and the confederate troops 
pushed forward as far as the railroad cutting the 
wires that led to Grant's headquarters. But their 
success was of short duration for our troops soon 
rallied and drove them out of Fort Stedman, and 
the movement proved a failure and a costly one to 
the confederates. 

The next day President Lincoln and Gen. Grant 
visited the front lines. 

"hancock's foot cavalry." 

Campaigning with the 2d corps in 1864 was 
strenuous enough to satisfy the most adventure- 
some. The frequent detours of the command from 
the rest of the army and the rapidity with which 
they had been shifted from left to right and right 
to left caused the confederates to style them as 
"Hancock's Foot Cavalry." 

After the direct assaults on Petersburg failed 
the corps was sent to extend the lines to the Wel- 
don and South Side railroads. Then Gen. Grant 
sent them north of the James to act in conjunction 
with Gen. Sheridan's cavalry in an attempt to 
break the rebel lines at Chapin's Bluff on the 
James river, near Deep Bottom, and after some 
stubborn fighting, they were ordered back to 
Petersburg to support Gen. Burnside's forces at 
the mine explosion. 

139 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Then after a few days of comparative quiet Gen. 
Grant planned another moonlight excursion for the 
wearers of the trefoil. 

On Au.gus;t 13, we marched to City Point and 
embarked on steamers, the destination of which we 
had no idea of. Many surmised we were going to 
Washington to assist in driving Early out of 
Maryland. Probably it was intended to give such 
an impression to the enemy, for we sailed down 
the river towards Fortress Monroe, but after dark 
the steamers were turned about and under the cover 
of darkness we were carried up towards Richmond, 
and a landing was effected the next morning at 
Deep Bottom. 

The other troops at that point were the 10th 
corps and Gen, Gregg's cavalry. Several unsuc- 
cessful attempts were made to break the rebel lines 
and the second day our troops had to fall back, 
and in this retreat our brave old color bearer was 
killed, and the national colors were barely saved 
from the hands of the enemy by the daring of a 
young man whose name I cannot recall. The 
bravery he displayed that day entitled him to a 
medal of honor and a commission, but he did not 
get either, although he did live to carry the flag 
until Lee's surrender. 



NO REST FOR THE WEARY. 



After this aff'air we were returned to Petersburg 
and without any rest were hurried off to assist 
140 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the 5th corps in a demonstration across the Wei 
don railroad. Several miles of the track was torn 
up. The ties were burned and the rails piled on 
the fires. Rations having failed to connect, we 
subsisted principally on green corn, which was 
roasted over huge fires. 

A PATHETIC INCIDENT. 

In the movements to extend the left of Grant's 
lines at Petersburg the cavalry always blazed the 
way, usually preceding the infantry by a few 
hours. I recall a touching incident that illustrates 
the devotion that a cavalryman's horse has for the 
man who has been its inseparable companion for 
months. 

We found one day a dead soldier lying on the 
ground and near him grazing was his faithful 
horse. 

The bloated and discolored features of the dead 
cavalryman indicated that he had lain there for 
hours. Probably he had been on picket duty when 
"picked off" by some sharpshooter, and by his life- 
less body his faithful and devoted charger had 
waited for the boy in blue who to his comrades was 
simply one of the "missing." 

ream's STATION. 

The night of August 24, our corps rested at 
Ream's Station a name of which many veterans 
have keen recollections. In the morning the 
141 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

pickets reported that the enemy were in force in 
the vicinity, and accordingly preparations were 
made to receive them. About 2 p. m. the enemy 
made an attempt to break that part of the line held 
by our division, which was then under command of 
Gen. Nelson A. Miles, but they were repulsed. Later 
a larger force, backed by 30 or 40 pieces of artil- 
lery made a second attempt and succeeded in forc- 
ing a portion of the line held by some troops new to 
the field. The situation was critical, as the con- 
federates greatly outnumbered our troops and the 
enemy had worked around under the cover of the 
woods until the attacking force was on our flanks 
and rear. The affair would have ended disas- 
trously but for the coolness and bravery of both 
Gens. Hancock and Miles, who rallied the troops 
and led them in person. 

Gen. Hancock's horse was shot under him, but 
with hat in hand he called on the officers and men 
of his old corps to stand by him and drive the 
enemy off. Ah, but he was indeed a superb officer, 
and men never desert such a leader. 

Among the killed of our regiment that day was 
George Curtin, the popular leader of the regimen- 
tal band. This was a fig:ht in which it was all 
"front" and no chance for the musicians to get 
to the rear. 

After this affair there was a lull in active opera- 
tions for a while, the picket firing and artillery 
142 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

duels along the intrenched front furnishing spice 
enough to relieve monotony. 

In the latter part of October we "slewed" around 
to the left again, the object being to get possession 
of the South Side railroad. The second corps en- 
countered a large force of the enemy on the 27th 
on the Vaughn road near Hatcher's Run, and a 
fiercely contested battle took place. Portions of 
the 5th and 9th corps were also engaged. 

Gen. Winslow's regiment, the 186th New York, 
joined the 9th corps that day and were near enough 
to hear some of the fighting and get a smell of 
powder but I believe did not take a hand in the 
affair. 

In November, Gen. Hancock was called to 
Washington by the secretary of war to organize 
a new corps for the army, which it was intended 
should bo made up principally of veterans who 
had served their time and been discharged. The 
men of his old command who had served under him 
so long were greatly attached to him and regretted 
his departure exceedingly. 

In a report to Gen. Grant he mentioned among 
other things the losses of his corps as 25 brigade 
commanders, 125 regimental commanders and over 
20,000 men. Comment is unnecessary. 

BIG BOUNTY MEN. 

The army received large accessions of recruits 
during the fall of 1864. The big bounties had 
143 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

induced all sorts of characters to enlist. A large 
per cent, were professional "bounty jumpers," 
who were ready to desert to the enemy at the first 
opportunity. 

The 5th New Hampshire of our division, a regi- 
ment that had an enviable record as fighters, had 
their depleted ranks filled up with conscripts, sub- 
stitutes and bounty takers who deserted in such 
numbers to the "Johnnies" that their pickets used 
to joke our men about sending over the colors 
of the regiment, and one day a huge placard was 
hoisted on the rebel intrenchments which read 
something as follows : 

"Headquarters 5th New Hampshire vols. Re- 
cruits wanted." 

A member of our company while on picket one 
night shot one of the attempted deserters and as 
a reward was granted a 30-day furlough. 

If a deserter was caught no mercy was shown 
him. 

The penalty was death by shooting or hanging, 
usually the latter, as shooting was considered too 
honorable. Scaffolds were erected in the rear of 
the works and almost every Friday there were 
numerous executions along the lines. 

ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS LOOKED SMALL. 

I recall a story told at the expense of one of the 
big bounty men who joined us just before setting 
out on the last campaign. He had hardly a chance 
144 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

to learn to handle a gun when he was sent out on the 
skirmish line and pretty soon the "minies" were 
coming his way thick and fast. His comrade was 
a son of Erin, and an old "vet" who went before 
the bounties. The nerves of the big bounty man 
were getting pretty badly shattered, which was 
noticed by Pat, Avho sang out: "I say, there, me 
laddy buck! How large does your $1,000 look 
to ye's now.'"' 

"About the size of a silver quarter," was the 
truthful response. 

Another incident illustrates the practical man- 
ner with which the officers regarded the lives of 
their men. A veteran captain noticed some of the 
new accessions to his company needlessly exposing 
themselves, as he thought, and this is about what 
he said to them : "Get down behind the breastworks ; 
you cost vwelve hundred dollars a piece, and I'll 
be d — d if I am going to have you throw your lives 
away ; you're too expensive !" 



10 145 



CHAPTER XIV. 

WINTER QUARTERS. 

^fc— ;=^^ OW many of our readers who are old 
W ■ enough to remember back so far can tell 
^ _^ what kind of a winter we had 40 years 
ago? Phobably not more than one 
in a hundred, unless it be some of the 
survivors of the army of the Potomac, or the army 
of the James, for the winter of 1864-5, was one of 
unusual severity, and there was much suffering 
among the troops in the trenches before Peters- 
burg and Richmond. 

Possibly it may interest some of the present 
generation to know how the soldiers, who were only 
provided with little shelter tents, managed to keep 
warm through the winter months when it was cold 
enough down there for ice to form on all of the 
streams. 

Usually four men would go in together and build 
a little hut out of logs, sticks, pieces of boards or 
whatever they could pick up, chinking the cracks 
with Virginia mud, which, when hardened, no 
amount of rain or wind would loosen. The roof 
was usually made from their tents unless enough 
split timber could be got to lap one over the other. 
14§ 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

From old barrel staves, small limbs and the same 
Virginia mud a chimney would be built at the end 
of the hut, connecting with a spacious fireplace. 

On one side a double bunk made from saplings 
and covered with grass, leaves or hay, over which 
was spread a blanket with knapsacks for pillows, 
formed the beds. 

It was a credit to Yankee ingenuity to see the 
(levices the men had for conveniences. Candle- 
sticks were made out of bottles or cans filled with 
sand. Cracker boxes were converted into handy 
cupboards or tables and little cellars were scooped 
out from under the bunks. 

In the drummer boys' quarters, drums were 
used for writing stands and card playing tables, 
while of^en a checkerboard would be sketched on 
the head of the drum and for men buttons would 
be used, and with plenty of rations we managed 
to be quite comfortable except when on picket. 

lee's soldieks cold and hungry. 

The question of supplies is a vital one to an 
army, and how to clothe and feed the confederate 
soldiers was a most serious problem to the southern 
leaders in the last year of the war. 

The "Johnnies" with their threadbare clothing 

and scant rations suffered everything during the 

cold winter of '64-5. Of tea and coffee they had 

none except in their hospitals. The only thing 

147 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

they had a superfluity of was tobacco, and this 
they were ready to swap for coffee or anything to 
eat. 

In front of our corps was a strip of woods where 
the blue and the gray used to meet on friendly 
terms, cut wood, swap coffee, tobacco, papers, 
stories, etc. 

The reader of this who is of the generation 
since the war will hardly believe, I presume, that 
men of the two armies, who had fought each other 
so hard for more than three years, could meet be- 
tween the lines without displaying any animosity 
toward each other, but such occurrences were not 
rare. 

I recall a story about how a "Johnnie" helped 
a "Yank" carry his supply of wood into the Union 
lines. The boys were engaged in cooking and 
when the rebel sniffed the pleasant aroma of Uncle 
Sam's old Government Java and other things that 
were not being furnished by the C. S. A. commis- 
sary department, he said: "I'm dog-goned if it 
don't seem right smart comfortable here with 
you'uns and now that I'm here I guess I'll stay !" 

Considering the great privations that they suf- 
fered, and the hopelessness of the struggle it is 
a great wonder that the desertions from their side 
were not more frequent than they were. 

A BOX FROM HOME. 

If any of you ever have a father, son or brother 
148 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

in far distant parts, don't forget to send him an 
occasional box of good things from the old home. 
He may have an abundance, but even then he will 
appreciate the loving remembrances ; but if he is 
undergoing the hardsliips and privations of a sol- 
dier's life it will touch his heart more than any 
other act of your life. 

Two of our mess were remembered with a boun- 
teous box of good things the Christmas we were 
in the trenches before Petersburg. Talk about 
your banquets ! Your Delmonico spreads ; your 
nine-course dinner ! They cannot compare with 
that Christmas feast of home made mince pies, 
fruit cake, plum pudding, old fashioned twisted 
doughnuts, raspberry jam and other good things 
from home. 

And even those who were without mother or sis- 
ter at home received througji the Sanitary or 
Christian commissions many evidences that their 
devotion to their country's cause was lovingly re- 
membered by the patriotic women of the North. 

Those were stirring days, and even the little 
children worked for the soldiers. Their little hands 
were busy rolling bandages, knitting and helping 
the various "Aid societies." 

Among my wartime keepsakes is the photograph 
of a little Pennsylvania girl, 10 years old. It came 
to me in a "Soldier's Companion" containing 
needles, thread, buttons and other articles useful 
to a soldier. The child had made it and tucked a 
149 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

dainty little note inside with her picture, request- 
ing the recipient to write to her, which I did from 
the front of Petersburg and received a very beauti- 
ful letter in reply. 

WHERE BOARD WAS HIGH. 

I have in my possession a portion of an old copy 
of the "Macon Confederate," which was obtained 
on the picket line one day, in which it is stated 
that, "board at our hotels is $30 per day, which 
includes three meals and a room." 

"If a man is single and wishes to reside here 
he can obtain board at a private house for $150 
to $200 per month." 

"A family can rent a small house, with a small 
yard and garden for, from $1,500 to $2,500, ac- 
cording to location." 

"By close economy, subsistence and clothing for 
one year can be purchased at the market for a fam- 
ily, say of five, for $5,000, so the whole expense 
will be about $8,000, during the 12 months." 

"retribution." 

Another item tells of the presentation of a beau- 
tiful sword to Gen. John McCausland of the con- 
federate army. 

"The blade is of the best material, and the scab- 
bard beautifully mounted and richly embossed. 

On the blade is inscribed : The citizens of Lynch- 
burg to Gen. John McCausland, June 18, 1864: 
150 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Embossed on the scabbard is a chalice, and above 
the word "Retribution," symboHzing the destruc- 
tion of Chambersburg by fire which was putting 
down the poisoned chalice to Yankee lips for the 
atrocities committed by them in the valley. Be- 
low appears the coat of arms of Virginia, and in 
another place is seen the coat of arms of the ancient 
Roman Empire." 



151 



CHAPTER XV. 

LAST STRUGGLE AND DEFEAT OF THE LOST CAUSE. 



e 



RANT'S and Lee's forces occupied in- 
trenchments more than 30 miles in 
lergth reaching from Richmond around 
to the left of Petersburg. The effec- 
tive soldiers of Grant's army were about 125,- 
000, including the Army of the James, while Lee's 
forces numbered about one-half, but they were 
veterans, every man of them, for on the southern 
side there was no expiration of service. 

The confederacy was in sore straights. The 
strenuous campaign of 1864 had put every man in- 
to Lee's army that it was possible to get without 
robbing the cradle and the graA^e. The losses the 
confederates suffered that year could not be made 
good while the North sent Grant a fresh man to 
take the place of every one put out of action. 

Sherman had marched his army through 
Georgia, devastating the country, thence up the 
Atlantic coast, and was, in March, 1864, in North 
Carolina, only about 150 miles south of Peters- 
burg. Gen. Thomas had cleaned out Hood's army, 
and fighting Phil Sheridan had laid waste to the 
Shenandoah valley and driven the rebels from out 

152 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

its borders. And then the policy adopted by the 
north of the non-interchange of prisoners — a pol- 
icy which, though eflPective against the enemy 
caused thousands of brave men to die slowly by 
starvation in the prisons of the South — kept out 
of the Confederate ranks men enough to make two 
armies like Lee's. The Union forces were well fed 
and warmly clothed during the winter of '64-5, 
while the men in the southern ranks were in rags 
and on scant rations. There was no hope for the 
South unless Lee could extricate his army from the 
intrenchments at Richmond and Petersburg and 
join his forces with Gen. Johnston's army and 
transfer operations farther south. 

Gen. Grant learned of Lee's intentions and 
forced the fighting before his plans could be put 
into execution. 

The movement commenced March 29. "Phil" 
Sheridan and his force of cavalry was sent around 
Lee's right with the 5th and 2d corps following. 

The 6th and 9th corps of the Army of the Po- 
tomac, with some troops from Butler's army, were 
to hold the lines at Petersburg. 

The writer's regiment was then, as in the pre- 
vious year's campaign, with Grant, attached to 
Hancock's 2d corps, but that superb commander 
was no longer its leader, having been called to 
Washington to organize a veteran corps 
and Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys, who had long 
153 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

been chief of staff of the Army of the Potomac, 
had taken his place. He was an able commander 
but could never inspire his troops with the enthu- 
siasm of Hancock, yet it is understood he was 
rated by military critics as the most skillful officer 
of the civil war. 

The weather had been good for several days, 
but the day the troops began to move a rain set 
in and it just poured, and as the country was flat 
and swampy, with the soil a mixture of clay and 
sand, the roads soon became nearly knee deep with 
a stiff batter, making it extremely difficult for the 
men to march, and in places the roads had to be 
corduroyed to make it possible for the artillery to 
proceed. The boys good-naturedly made the best 
of it, and if a staff officer rode by would inquire 
if the pontoons and gunboats were coming. 

NOTES FROM AN OLD DIARY. 

On March 29 our regiment struck tents at camp 
near Patrick's Station and marched three or four 
miles, forming a junction with Sheridan's cavalry, 
halted near Hatcher's Run and threw up breast- 
works; left them late in the day and marched 
through a dense woods ; halted on the other side 
and threw up more works ; advanced at daybreak 
the morning of the 30th; heard musketry firing 
about 9 ; halted and built breastworks again. 

About 1 p. m. the enemy opened on us with artil- 
154 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

lery, throwing both soHd shot and shell; several 
wounded. 

Was routed out before 5 the next morning and 
made a forced march to reach the 5th corps ; halted 
at dusk and threw up intrenchments. It was truly 
marvelous to see how quickly troops would throw 
up formidable earthworks with nothing to work 
with except bayonets, tin cups and plates and an 
occasional frying pan, and men did it willingly, 
too, for although they were so tired they could 
hardly march farther they knew there was no 
safety for an army unless they were behind in- 
trenchments. 

Heavy firing that night on both flanks ; next 
morning had a lively skirmish about 4 ; several 
wounded. 

April 2, continued the advance; crossed the 
South Side railroad; heavy skirmishing on the ad- 
vance lines ; built intrenchments near the railroad. 

Although there was constant skirmishing by the 
troops on the flanks, there was no serious conflict 
until the 31st, when Sheridan encountered Fitz- 
hugh Lee's cavalry and "Fighting Phil" is reported 
to have said he had "one of the liveliest times of his 
life." 

The same day the confederates delivered one of 
their furious sallies against Gen. Warren's 5th 
corps out on the White Oak road, hurling back in 
disorder the divisions of Gens. Ayers and Craw- 
ford, but Griffin's division stood firm and Gen. 
155 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Miles' division of the 2d corps, with which our regi- 
ment was serving, went to their support and de- 
livered a counter charge on the right flank, causing 
the enemy to retire to his intrenchments, which were 
so strong and stubbornly defended that repeated 
attempts to dislodge them failed. 

In the meantime Lee sent Gen. Pickett, who so 
gallantly led the charge at Gettysburg, along the 
White Oak road to Five Forks, where he routed a 
division of infantry and some of Sheridan's cav- 
alry. 

FIVE FORKS. 

The next day, April 1, the 5th corps and Sheri- 
dan's cavalry moved on the enemy at Five Forks. 
Gen. Sheridan was everywhere on his powerful, 
coal black charger. It is said he even swore a 
little as he told the brigade commanders that "This 
battle has got to be fought on the double quick." 
When the battle line was forming he is said to 
have ridden among the men and encouraged them 
with such remarks as, "We've got the twist on 'em, 
boys ; there won't be a grease spot left when we 
get through. 

At a critical moment when some of the troops 
wavered because of the hail-storm of bullets, Sheri- 
dan grasped his battle flag from the man who 
carried it and rod-e forward, urging his men to 
close up and stand firm. Such conduct inspired 
the soldiers to a renewed eff'ort, and they charged 
the enemy and won a splendid victory. 
156 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Gen. Grant celebrated Sheridan's victory by 
opening fire on the city of Petersburg with over 
100 cannon, and the troops who held the lines in 
front of the city assaulted the works and pressed 
back the Confederates, whose only hope was to get 
safely away from the city and join Lee's army in 
its race for life. This was accomplished during 
the night of the 2d, and the departure of the Con- 
federate troops was effected so quietly that the 
Union pickets knew not that the enemy were mov- 
ing till daylight revealed the fact that they had 
folded their tents and slid away in the night and 
were miles distant when the Union forces proudly 
entered the city that had been the bone of con- 
tention between the two great armies from June, 
1864, to April, 1865. 

It was well understood that Lee's objective point 
was Lynchburg or Danville, and it was only by 
ceaselessly marching and hammering away at their 
weakening lines that Leie's plans to unite his forces 
with Gen. Johnston's were foiled. Phil Sheridan, 
aided by Gens. Custer, Crook and Merritt, was 
just the right man for the job, and his unceasing 
ardor and energy kept things humming and was 
what contributed largely to the success of the 
campaign. The only blot on his escutcheon was 
his ungenerous treatment of Gen. Warren, after 
Five Forks, which caused Warren's removal from 
his command, and the life of one of the bravest 
and most accomplished officers of the Army of the 
157 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Potomac was embittered and he died a few years 
after the war of a broken heart. 

His old comrades, although admiiiing Sheri- 
dan's splendid qualities, could never quite forgive 
his treatment of so gallant an officer and gentle- 
man. 

The pursuit of Lee was resumed on the 3d. 
Gen. Sheridan with his cavalry and the 5th corps 
moved westerly, keeping near the Appomattox 
river, where they could keep in touch with Lee's 
army. Gen. Meade with the 2d and 6 th corps 
followed Sheridan with the same object in view. 
Gen. Ord, with the 24th corps, Gen. Birney's 
colored troops and the 9th corps were to move 
parallel with the South Side railroad. 

No fighting of importance occurred for two 
or three days after Five Forks, but we did some 
right smart marching. 

The evening of April 5, we were preparing to 
go into camp for the night when the sound of 
artillery put us in motion again, and we raced it 
until midnight. The morning of the 6th, Gen. 
Meade concluded that Lee's troops had been slip- 
ping around to his left during the night; so he 
sent the 6th corps out on the Painesville road and 
we of the 2d by the Deatonville pike. 

Couriers had brought word that the enemy was 
moving in two columns, one under the command of 
Gen. James Longstreet, and the other under Gen. 
John B. Gordon. 

158 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Recently, when tlie deatli of the two above- 
named generals occurred so closely together, it 
seemed almost a suggestion of fatality that these 
two great leaders who fought all through the 
war and were Lee's two arms in the last desperate 
effort for the "Lost Cause" should have outlived 
all of the other great generals of the confederacy 
and then crossed over the river shoulder to shoul- 
der, as it were, to rejoin Lee, Jackson and other 
beloved comrades. 

THE sailor's creek FIGHT. 

After going four or five miles, the morning of 
the 6th, we came out on a ridge, in a clearing, and 
in the distance could be seen a loner column of 
rebs, moving in almost an opposite direction. 

Our division had the right of line, so we could 
see them very clearly. The boys began to throw 
their caps in the air and let off a few yells, when 
word was passed along the line to keep quiet and 
we obliqued to one side and got out of sight be- 
hind the crest of the ridge. 

Gen. Miles ordered up some batteries, and they 
taking position in our front, unlimbered and 
opened fire on the "Johnnies," who were crossing 
a large open field, and there was a column of about 
a mile long to be seen. 

INIy blood runs quicker as the memory of that 
day comes back to me with its thrilling incidents. 

I see the artillery galloping into position and I 
159 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

recall the excitement when the first shots were fired 
and we watched the shells as they dropped among 
the confederates. 

The artillerymen got the range the first time, 
and there was some right smart "gittin' away" to 
the woods, which were in every direction, and the 
way those greybacks broke for a shelter was a 
caution, and our men couldn't help but give them 
a cheer. 

It was understood that Lee had issued orders 
to all of the division and corps commanders to 
do as little fighting as possible. The program 
seemed to be to get away, but when they were cor- 
nered they fought with the desperation of men 
who are being hunted down. 

A RUNNING FIGHT. 

Our troops got orders to "go for 'em," and it 
was a running fight until night, the race extend- 
ing over fifteen miles of country. 

They were anxious to save some wagon trains 
that had supplies for Lee's army. All day they 
fought on the defensive, holding the Union forces 
off^ long enough for the trains to get out of the 
way, and then they would limber up their artillery 
and go flying to the rear and take up a new posi- 
tion a mile or two away, the infantry holding us 
off until the batteries were in position, when the 
troops would take shelter under their guns. When 
we pressed them too close the artillerymen would 
160 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

give our men grape and cannister, and then yield 
to the infantry. 

Our artillery failed to do much execution that 
day because the Johnnies would not stand and 
take it. 

The country was swampy and occasionally a 
wagon would get stuck In the mud and they would 
have to abandon it. 

At one time, when our division was close upon 
the enemy, we descended a hill that led to a little 
stream, and on the other side was an elevation 
Avhere the Rebs had gotten a battery into position. 

Our regiment was in the first line of battle, and 
when the battery commenced firing we had got 
so far down the hill that the artillerymen could 
not depress their guns enough to reach us ; but 
the reserve line that was on higher ground suffered 
severely. 

The creek where we struck it was fringed with 
a vine that formed a perfect network. The vines 
were tough and would not break, and there was 
no way to crawl under or go over ; so the men cut 
through with jack knives. 

It happened that the rest of the brigade did not 
encounter the obstruction and were ready to ad- 
vance when our regiment was tangled up in the 
vines. Being in the center the delay was noticed. 
Finally a staff officer, one of those slick fellows 
with red sash, riding gauntlets and plenty of gold 
braid, rode down on the opposite bank and called 
u 161 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

out, "What in h — 11 is the matter with the 2d 
New York, and where is the commanding officer?" 

Col. Hulscr (he was then a major) looked up 
from under an old slouch hat, the rest of his uni- 
form being no better than the privates, and paid 
his respects to that dude of an officer in language 
that was highly tinctured with brimstone. The 
regiment formed in line on the south bank exposed 
to a fierce artillery fire, and the boys noticed that 
the dandy officer from th^e general's staff ducked 
his head low on his horse's neck quite frequently, 
while the old major, who was always ill at ease 
on dress parades and reviews, sat his horse, amid 
the screeching shells like a bronze figure. 

When Hulser had gotten his regiment lined 
up to suit him he said to the officer, "In ten min- 
utes the 2d New York will capture that rebel bat- 
tery unless they limber up and get out of our 
way." Drawing his sword he gave the command, 
"Forward, guide center, double-quick," and away 
went the m'en with a rush, for everyone probably 
felt that they would like to show the officious staff 
officer that they were no cowards. But when the 
Johnnies saw that glistening line of bayonets mov- 
ing down on them they pulled up and ran away. 

The enemy had another battery in position 
about a half a mile away, and they did some rapid 
firing for the "Lost Cause ;" but some of our 
troops got after them on the flank and they pulled 
up and ran again. A comrade has told me that he 
162 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

saw a man killed by a shell that day and the shell 
did not touch him. It passed close to his head 
and the concussion killed him instantly. 

The troops in our front were Gen. Gordon's 
and about 4 o'clock they made a determined stand, 
as our troops were pressing them so closely they 
were in danger of losing their train of supplies. 

Our regiment was in some second growth pine 
woods and the rebels behind a rail fence on the 
other edge of the woods, and through the trees 
the moving wagons could be seen. 

The order came to "charge," and Gen. Miles' old 
first division went for the enemy with a rush and 
some cavalry on the flank went after that train. 

The fighting was general and things became 
badly mixed up. The teamsters lashed their 
horses and tried to get away, but many cut the 
traces and abandoned their loads. 

The Confederates tried to hold the opposite side 
of the train and used the wagons as a shelter, and 
the combatants banged at each other through the 
wagons. 

PAT CAPTURES A GUN. 

A comrade of my regiment who was in the imme- 
diate ranks that day, says: 

"Where we struck the train a rebel brass cannon 

was stuck in the mud. Two rebs were on one side 

of it tugging away at a wheel trying to turn it on 

our lines. Two of our regiment grabbed the other 

163 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

wheel and tried to turn it the other way, but it 
was so firmly imbedded in the mud that neither 
side could budge it. The blue and the gray glared 
at each other and finally Pat Devereaux of the 2d 
heavy, spoke out, "Say Johnnie, lave your hands 
off that gun, I tell ye!" and the reb retorted as 
follows : 'Go soak your head, Pat. I wouldn't 
dirty my hands with you, I'll get my nigger to 
attend to your case.' Just then Pat grabbed the 
rammer to the gun and went for the Johnnie in 
true Irish style, saying as he brought the rammer 
down upon his enemy: 'I can whip the bist man 
in your measly gang. You're nothing but a dirty 
lazy lot of slave drivers. Out of this, I say! and 
the Johnnie went, leaving Pat the victor. And 
that is how Private Devereaux of the 2d helped 
take one of the four cannon captured by the 2d 
corps that day." 

In these days if such an act of heroism were 
performed, it would be heralded all over the conti- 
nent, but such occurrences were too common in 
those exciting times, besides each regimental com- 
mander did not have two or three war correspond- 
ents at his elbows for the purpose of writing up 
his achievements. 

The operations of our corps that day are sum- 
marized by Gen. Humphreys as follows : Captures 
of the corps, 13 battleflags, 4 cannon, 1,700 
prisoners. Killed and wounded of the 1st and 2d 
divisions (the 3d division not reported), 311. 

164 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Gen. Mott was among the wounded. The 
enemy's killed and wounded largely exceeded our 
own and the loss of the wagon train must have 
caused much suffering among the Confederates. 

In addition to the battleflags, cannon and pri- 
soners, our brigade captured over 200 supply 
wagons. 

DIXIE TO THE LAST. 

Among the prisoners captured that day was a 
rebel brass band, and they were allowed to retain 
their instruments. As the column of confederates 
were marched along the roadside, which was lined 
on either side by the Union forces, they were headed 
by the band, playing their national air of Dixie. 

The scene was an impressive one. They were 
prisoners of war, bleeding from wounds, faint and 
famished, ragged and nearly barefoot and their 
last hope gone, but as the familiar strains of the 
music floated back over the line their faces bright- 
ened, their steps quickened and they marched as 
they had marched many a time behind their be- 
loved leader. Gen. Lee. 

Our men had too much respect for these brave 
men to jeer at them. The brave invariably respect 
the brave, and as the soldiers of the "Lost Cause" 
passed the veterans of the second corps all were 
silent and respectful, except for an occasional 
burst of applause which manifested itself by the 
clapping of hands. 

165 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

It was very evident to the most pessimistic that 
the confederacy was on its last legs and that night 
when our boys were carrying rails to build breast- 
works, Billy Cook, the first sergeant of our com- 
pany, who had gone all through the war without 
a scratch, made the remark that the "jig was 
about up with the Johnnies," and the next day Bill 
fell pierced by a rebel bullet in the last fighting 
of the war. 

HEAPS OF PLUNDER. 

That night the boys had a great time going 
through the captured wagons. There was a 
"heap" of plunder in them. A paymaster's trunk 
with upwards of $400,000 Confederate money was 
found and it was divided up among the men. One 
man secured Gen. Mahone's grip with his commis- 
sion as major general and other papers and dressed 
himself up in the coat, sash, etc., that had been 
worn by the distinguished Confederate. One of 
our boys secured a five-gallon jug of rebel com- 
missary, and he and a comrade stuck a musket 
barrel through the handle and slinging it over 
their shoulders marched around among the ex- 
hausted soldiers and told them to "fall in for ra- 
tions." If anybody ever needed a Httle whiskey 
it was that very time and it was amusing to see 
them take their turns at the jug. No one was 
allowed to take any away, and in order to draw 
a ration the jug must be pushed up from the 
166 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

bottom and the nozzle tipped downward while a 
"swig" was taken. 

The men reveled in broiled ham, beef, bacon, 
onions, pickles, toasted hardtack, and other luxu- 
ries that were found in the wagons. 

LITTLE GRAY. 

There was pity mingled with our rejoicing that 
night for in many of the captured wagons were 
wounded Confederates. Poor fellows ! Many of 
them lay with wounds several days old, the band- 
ages dried up and dirty, some too weak to rais« 
their heads, hungr}'^ and thirsty and needing so 
much nourishment and attention that we could 
not give them. It is at such a time that one is 
brought face to face with war without any of its 
gold plating. 

My sympathies were stirred as they had never 
been before as a littlie boy, scarcely 16 years old, 
was lifted out of a wagon. A handsome boy, not- 
vrithstanding his face was bronzed and dirty, and 
his cheeks sunken. He had beautiful dark, expres- 
sive eyes and looked up so appealingly into our 
faces as my comrade and I bent over him and 
asked what we could do for him. He, too, was 
a drummer boy and had been wounded two or three 
days before. We got our surgeon and had his 
wound dressed and gave him stimulants and a little 
food, but he was very weak, "all marched out," he 
said, and was afraid that he would not see his 
167 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

old Carolina home again. We bathed his face and 
hands with cool water and his lips quivered and 
tears coursed down his cheeks as he faintly whis- 
pered of his widowed mother. 

We, too, were "marched out" and had to lie 
down and have rest but before leaving "Little 
Gray," as we called him, two boys knelt by his 
side and repeated the Lord's prayer that had been 
learned at a mother's knees. In the morning the 
little confederate from the Palmetto state was 
dead, and we buried him on the field with his com- 
rades. 

'Twas war — real genuine war. 

THE LAST BATTLE. 

It is understood that Lee's chief officers held a 
meeting the night of the 6th and counseled him 
to surrender, but he had not abandoned all hope 
and the next morning the rebel army began again 
the desperate race for life. They crossed the Ap- 
pomattox river at High Bridge and set fire to the 
same to prevent pursuit. But the 2d corps were 
so close after them that our men reached one end 
of the bridge as the rebels were leaving the other. 

Gen. Mahone's troops contested the passage for 
a time, but Gen. Miles ordered a battery into posi- 
tion and after a vigorous shelling the rebels let 
go of their end and our troops crossed over and 
pushed on after the enemy. 

Lee's army was now on what may be termed a 
168 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

neck of land formed by the James and Appomat- 
tox rivers. 

The Army of the James had come up and were 
pressing; them on one side, the Army of the Poto- 
mac on the other, while Sheridan and his cavalry 
had gone around south to try and close the outlet. 

As soon as our corps got across the river the 
pursuit of Lee continued out along the old Ap- 
pomattox stage road. 

About one o'clock in the afternoon, the First 
and Third Division came up with the enemy near 
the Appomattox stage road, where they had gone 
into position to oppose our advance. Poague's 
Battery opened upon us, and made things lively 
for just as we passed an open field the shells be- 
gan to fly through the woods in our front, and 
as we approached the edge of the woods the skir- 
mishers opened upon the head of the old First 
Brigade. 

Just at this moment orders came directing us 
into line on the left of the road, and before we 
had completed the movement a battery galloped 
into position in the rear of the Second New 
York, and Bang — bang — bang — whiz— hum — 
buzz — boom — boom — boom — crack — whir — crash, 
whang — while the old Second responded with a 
cheer and its facetious cry "lay down!" 

The 61st New York and 26th Michigan were 
immediately deployed as skirmishers and advanced 
into the woods driving the Johnnies before them 
169 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

over a little ridge of ground. Our line of battle, 
the 2d New York in the center, the 5th New Hamp- 
shire and 81st Pennsylvania on our left and the 
183d and 140th Pennsylvania on our right ad- 
vanced close up to the ridge while the skirmishers 
were pushed well up against the enemj' to develop 
the position. 

It was soon learned that all that was left of 
Lee's army was in our front well intrenched and 
provided with plenty of artillery. 

Gen. Meade had sent word for the 6th and S-ith 
corps who were near Farmville, to cross the river 
and attack Lee from that side with a view of 
crushing his army. Lee had, however, destroyed 
the bridges, the Appomattox was too deej) to ford, 
the pontoon trains had not got up, consequently 
the two corps mentioned were unable to render the 
Second any assistance, else it is more than likely 
that Appomattox would not have become famous 
in history. 

While waiting for assistance the Second corps 
did considerable maneuvering. About 5 o'clock 
firing was heard in the direction of Farmville which 
Gen. Humphreys assumed was the 6th corps. He 
immediately contracted his left line and pushed 
out on the right intending to flank the enemy if 
possible. 

The execution of the movement left our divi- 
sion face to face with Gen, Mahone's and Gen. 
Anderson's troops who were formed in close column 
i70 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

supported by Poague's ten gun battery, who were 
in a position that enabled them to give us (as the 
boys used to express it), h — 11 with grape and can- 
nister trimmings thrown in. 

Our regiment came to a halt in a dense growth 
of small pines and waited for orders. Some of 
the officers went out in the edge of the woods to 
look around and as they came back Capt. Mike 
Foy danced a little jig as he said: "Boys there's 
another wagon train for us over behind the rebel 
lines." Poor, brave Foy, who had fought his way 
up from the ranks, little realized that he and scores 
of others would go down in less than fifteen min- 
utes. 

Our brigade had the right of line and were the 
first to advance across an open rolling field in full 
view of the enemy. The troops came to a halt in 
a little ravine and the bugles sounded "Fix bayo- 
nets !" Then an advance was made and when about 
50 rods from the enemy the bugles sang out "For- 
ward — double quick, charge!" 

The cheers of our men were answered by the 
rebel yell, the real old genuine "Ki, yi, yi, yi !" 
that all veterans remember so well. Then a tongue 
of flame leaped from all along their intrenchments, 
and all other sounds were drowned with the roar 
of cannon, the crash of musketry and the whizzing 
and screeching of grape and cannister. 

Some of the troops reached the enemy's works 
in the face of tremendous odds and fought to the 
171 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

death. But they were unsupported by other troops 
as well as artillery, consequently they had to re- 
treat. The 5th New Hampshire had all of their 
color guards killed after reaching the rebel in- 
trenchments and lost their colors, but they were 
recovered by the 81st Pennsylvania. 

History makes but little mention of the battle 
of Farmville, as events of greater importance fol- 
lowed so closely, but the participants know that 
troops never fought more valiantly than did Lee's 
soldiers in their last effort when they repulsed the 
assault of the veterans of the 2d corps. 



173 




CHAPTER XVI. 

AN ACT OF HEROISM. 

ERGT. ROBERT CLINE of our com- 
pany, who carried the New York State 
colors after saving the flag, found that 
a comrade had been left wounded near 
the enemy's intrenchments and he heroically 
faced about and amidst the whistling bullets went 
up near the rebel works, found his friend and 
brought him into the lines across his shoulder. 
This little incident is only one of thousands illus- 
trating what one comrade would do for another. 
The casualties of our regiment in this affair 
were: Six killed, 67 wounded and 74 missing, and 
some of the other troops' losses were greater. 

It has always seemed very sad to me to think of 
the many brave men who gave up their lives with 
the surrender of Lee in sight. Among the officers 
killed on our side was the brave Irishman, Gen. 
Thomas A. Smyth, who had long been one of Gen. 
Hancock's gallant officers. 

Those who were taken prisoners were recap- 
tured two days later at Appomattox, and a sorry 
looking lot they were. Every thing of value and 
173 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

much of their clothing had been taken from them 
and they had been hustled about pretty severely. 
Their rations had been appropriated by their hun- 
gry captors, and they fasted till they got back 
into their lines. 

Comrade Albert V. Rogers, a member of my 
company, who was a prisoner the last two days of 
the struggle, says, that all the Rebs. gave him to 
eat was some corn he stole from a mule. Rogers 
was at this time suffering from a gunshot wound 
in his leg. 

grant's first letter to lee. 

This letter was sent through the lines of the 2d 
corps that evening while we were in contact with 
the enemy, the troops being but a few hundred 
yards apart. There was a truce of one hour and 
inside of that time Lee's reply came back. 

During the night the enemy abandoned the 
works in front of our corps and at 5 the next 
morning the bugles of the 2d corps again sounded 
"Forward," and Gen. Humphreys, our commander, 
was instructed that any negotiations pending were 
not to interfere with the operations of his corps. 

Early in the forenoon, Gen. Grant's second letter 
was brought to Gen. Humphreys by Gen. Seth 
Williams, Grant's adjutant general, and it was 
sent through the lines of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee's cav- 
alry, who were on the rear of the confederate 
columns. 

174 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

We continued the pursuit all day, covering a 
distance of over 20 miles, and about dusk, as we 
had halted for a rest, a rebel officer brought Lee's 
reply to Gen. Humphreys, who sent it by a courier 
to Gen. Meade, then several miles in the rear. 

The next morning Grant's third letter to Lee 
was sent through the skirmish line of the 2d corps, 
and all this time Gen. Humphreys, mindful of his 
instructions, kept advancing and pushing back the 
thin line of wearied confederates, which called out 
a protest from Gen. Lee, whe sent an officer twice 
during the forenoon requesting a halt. Gen. Hum- 
phreys sent back word that his orders were such 
that he could not comply. 

Gen. Longstreet's corps was scarcely 100 yards 
from our skirmish line and Gen. Humphreys issued 
orders for an advance upon them. Artillery was 
being placed in position. The commanders of the 
contending forces were watching the movements on 
either side, couriers and staff officers were riding 
to and fro, and just about the time the ball was 
about to open Gen. INIeade appeared at the front 
and after issuing orders to suspend operations sent 
a messenger to Lee granting a truce of an hour, 
pending the negotiations for the surrender. 

LEE UNDER AN APPLE TEEE. 

The officers who delivered Grant's last note 
found the confederate chieftain stretched out on 
a blanket under an apple tree near Appomattox 
175 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

court house. The famous tree was removed, bit 
by bit, and for a long time the writer carried a 
piece of it as well as a splinter from the floor where 
young Ellsworth fell in the Marshall house at 
Alexandria, Va. It is understood that a tablet 
marks the spot where the tree once stood that 
shaded the vanquished leader. 

The officers mounted their horses and rode to the 
court house, where, meeting a Mr. McLean, Gen. 
Lee told him that they desired the use of a room 
in some house, and Mr. McLean invited the party 
to his home. Later the party was joined by Gen. 
Grant and other distinguished generals from both 
sides. 

The two great leaders exchanged reminiscences 
of their service under Gen. Scott in Mexico, after 
which the formalities of the surrender were gone 
through with. When Gen. Lee had signed his 
name to the terms of surrender it is said that with 
tears in his eyes he whispered in Gen. Grant's 
ear "General, my poor men are starving," and 
Grant, like the great modest man and soldier that 
he was, motioned to his side the general of subsist 
ence of the army of the Potomac and quietly told 
him to "issue, immediately rations to the army of 
Northern Virginia." 

Gen. Lee rode back to his troops to tell them 
what he had done and the next day issued his 
farewell orders. 

The parting of Lee with his soldiers at Appo- 
176 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

mattox was most pathetic. Tears were streaming 
from his eyes as they crowded around him begging 
for a last word and to touch his hand. When he 
could control himself enough to speak, he said, be- 
tween sobs, "Men, we have fought through the war 
together. I have done the best that I could for 
you." It is said there was not a dry eye among 
those who witnessed the sad leave-taking. 

grant's generosity to his foes. 

Gen. Grant's greatness never shone to better ad- 
vantage than in the generous terms accorded his 
conquered foes, and his modesty and consideration 
for the feelings of the confederate soldiers was 
such that he never paraded himself among them 
during the preparations for the formal surrender. 

When the surrender was announced the Union 
soldiers, shouted, hurrahed, danced and manifested 
their joy in all sorts of boyish pranks, but it soon 
passed off, and as they beheld the ragged, starved, 
wearied and sad-eyed veterans who had followed Lee 
into the last ditch their joy was turned to pity and 
sorrow and the blue divided with the gray their 
rations and they drank coffee from the same tin 
cups and water from the same canteens ! 

When the papers were all signed and paroles 
given the confederates and the Union forces formed 
in line and faced each other. The veterans of Le^ 
advanced until there was but a few yards of space 
between the lines. 
12 177 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"Halt! right dress! front!" was the command 
from their officers. 

The Union forces presented arms, the vanquished 
returned the salute like men and soldiers, stacked 
their guns, unbuckled their battle-scarred equip- 
ments, furled their tattered flags and laid them 
tenderly across their stacks of muskets, wiped the 
tears that many of them shed on their coat sleeves 
and went their way to take up life anew, but never 
to bear arms against our glorious Union. 

STACK ARMS. 

"Stack Arms!" In faltering accents slow 

And sad, it creeps from tongue to tongue, 
A broken, murmuring wail of woe, 

From manly hearts by anguish wrung. 
Like victims of a midnight dream! 

We move, we know not how or why ! 
For life and hope like phantoms seem, 

And it would be relief — to die!" 



178 



CHAPTER XVII. 

RETRACING THE STEPS. 

^^^-^ HE armies of Grant and Sherman turned 
■ ^ J their backs on the South and took up 
^^^X their line of march for Washington, 
where they had been ordered to report 
for a general review and muster out, Wc 
passed through Richmond and retraced our steps 
over much of the same ground that had been fought 
over the previous year, and all along the route were 
reminders of the terrible struggles between the two 
great armies. 

Earthworks that had swarmed with soldiers 
were now deserted. Everywhere there were bleach- 
ing bones of horses and men ; grinning skulls, dis- 
abled artillery caissons, rusty sabres, bayonets, 
gun-barrels, canteens, haversacks, weather-stained 
clothing and mounds of earth that marked the rest- 
ing places of many whose army record was closed 
with the single word "missing." 

We were a jolly lot, however, realizing that our 
battles, hardships and marches were about over. 

A COURTEOUS ENEMY. 

One day on our return march, when the troops 
1T9 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

had halted for rest, mj comrade suggested that we 
make a reconnaissance and see if we could not find 
a little something in the eating line to vary the 
monotony of coffee, hardtack and "salt hoss." 
Back from the roadside we espied a comfortable 
looking house and we made a "bee line" for it. 

In the doorway stood a woman who returned our 
salutation of "good afternoon, madame," with 'Go 
right away from here, Yanks, you've killed my boy, 
Tom, and I don't want to ever look on a blue coat 
again." 

We expressed sympathy and assured her our mis- 
sion was a peaceful and honorable one, we wanted 
something to eat and had good money to pay for it. 
At this point in the conversation a fine look- 
ing man came to the door. He was dressed 
in a faded butternut colored uniform and on 
the collar of his coat we noticed the insignia of 
a Confederate coionel. He gave us a military sa- 
lute and said : "Come right up here on the veranda, 
men," and turning to the woman said : "These sol- 
diers are not responsible for our Tom's death ; 'twas 
the fo'tunes of wah, and my deah wife, you must 
remember that all ovah the nawth mothers are weep- 
ing for their boys that are sleepin' under Virginia 
sod. These are some of the 2d corps boys, that 
divided their rations with the 2d corps C S. A. at 
Appomattox. These are some of Gen. Hancock's 
men that treated me so chivalrously at Gettys- 
burg." 

180 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"You see, boys," he continued, "our Tom was a 
sergeant in my company when we went into that 
fight, and was mortally wounded that day in the 
wheatfield. 

"When our line fell back I couldn't go away and 
leave my poor boy with his life fast ebbing out, so 
I jes' stayed and holding his head on my knee lis- 
tened to his last message for his mother and then 
laid him away under the sod, and of cose was yo'ah 
prisoner. But no southern bo'n man ever per- 
formed a more knightly act than did one of yo'ah 
generals that night when he sent me back to our 
lines under a flag of truce. 

"We are comin' out of this war poor, and if 
you'll excuse the expression, d — d poor, but as 
long as I've got a scrap I'll share it with a man 
with a red clover leaf on his cap." 

As the colonel told his story tears coursed their 
way down his bronzed cheeks, and the two boys, 
whose emotional natures were not easily stirred 
had great, big lumps in their throats. For the 
first time in many months we sat down at a table 
to eat a meal. If there was scanty fare there was 
abundance of genuine hospitality of a warmth that 
is so characteristic of the southern people. 

When we took our leave the colonel called black 
Joe and told him to "tote" our luggage "down the 
pike," and on the way we suggested to the darkey 
that now he was free we presumed he would be 
leaving the old place and perhaps enlist in some 
181 



Drum Taps In Dixie, 

colored regiment and wear fine clothes with brass 
buttons and other fixings. "No, suh, boss, spec 
I alius stay right yere. I lak Massa Lincum sol- 
dier mens, and I'se much 'bleeged to 'em, but I 
lak my ole massa an' missus a heap bettah. An' 
den when Marse Tom went to de wah — Tom an' 
I useter run roun' bare-foot when we's little — 
I promis him I alius stay with his mammy an' as 
Tom can nevah come back any mo' I reckon I'se 
boun' to stay yere." 

At another house we met a sharp-tongue woman 
who said: 

"Yo'uns could nevah have whipped Bob Lee if 
he'd had half as many men as yo'uns. We'uns 
couM outfight and outmarch you bluebellied Yanks 
every time." 

She informed us that she had lost two sons by 
the war and that her husband was then in a south- 
ern hospital laid up with his third wound, and her 
eyes snapped as she said she wished she could have 
given a dozen boys to the "cause." We admired 
the grit of this Spartan Ijke mother and regretted 
in our hearts that the war had borne down with 
such crushing weight on the gentle sex of the 
South. 

THE BLOODY ANGLE AT SPOTTSYLVANIA. 

One night our brigade went into camp near 
Spottsylvania court house, and in the vicinity of 
the "bloody angle" where the hardest fighting of 
182 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the war occurred. Here 11 months before the 
2d corps made a charge more desperate than tliat 
of the "hght brigade," the percentage of killed 
being more than double that in the battle made 
famous by Tennyson. Here tjhe rebel infantry 
were massed in double lines with the artillery sup- 
porting them in redans. Hancock's veterans 
charged them in open field and were victorious, 
capturing about 4,000 prisoners, 20 pieces of 
artillery, thousands of small arms, 30 stands of 
colors with Gens. Johnson and George H. Stuart 
among the prisoners. 

It was here that the celebrated tree was found 
that was completely severed by bullets. Gen. 
Miles, who had been a brigade commander at the 
"angle" and who was then our division general, 
caused the stump to be dug up and conveyed to 
Washington where it was exhibited at the grand 
review and was afterwards placed in the war de- 
partment. The tree measured about 20 inches 
througih. 

The armies reached Washington about the mid- 
dle of May, and in most cases the organizations 
were allowed to pitch tents on their old camping 
grounds. It was almost like getting back home 
again. The only sad feature was to think of the 
many who had been with us there before who had 
since answered the last roll call. 



183 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE GRAND REVIEW. 

^^4^^^ HE assembling of the armies at Washing- 
£ Cj ton was for the purpose of marching 
^^^^/ them in review through the nation's capi- 
tal before mustering them out of service. 

As Grant's and Sherman's troops numbered too 
many for a one day review, the former were given 
precedence and May 23 was fixed as the day. 

We left our camps in Virginia at an early hour 
and crossed over the long bridge into that part 
of the city east of the capitol where the troops 
were massed ready to move when the hour should 
arrive. 

The signal gun was fired at 9 a. m., and the 
victorious hosts took up their line of march down 
the avenue, past the reviewing stand at the White 
House, thence to Georgetown and back to Virginia 
by the Aqueduct bridge. 

The city was thronged with patriotic people 
from all over the country, many coming a thou- 
sand miles or more to see a father, brother, son or 
lover in the ranks of that mighty army that was 
so soon to vanish away. 

184 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

The 2d corps did not pass the reviewing stand 
until afternoon and as we swung into Pennsyl- 
vania avenue a most grand and inspiring sight 
met our eyes. Every house top, balcony, window, 
tree and telegraph pole were black with people, 
and the street was a seething mass of humanity. 
Through the center, like a silvery stream cours- 
ing its way through a landscape, was a mile of 
glistening bayonets, waving flags and prancing 
steeds who had smelled the smoke of many battles. 
Everybody was thrilled with the sight, and as we 
marched down the avenue the music of the 
bands was drowned by the huzzahs of the throngs. 
Whenever a tattered battleflag appeared ladies 
rushed forward and strewed flowers before the 
standard bearers and loaded them and the 
color guards with wreaths and bouquets. 
Even the drummer boys came in for a share, and 
I felt then, as I do now, that it was a grand thing 
to have earned the right in whatever modest rank, 
to march with 100,000 veterans with the scars, 
smoke and dust of scores of battles upon them. 

It took nearly all day for the Army of the Po- 
tomac to pass the reviewing stand which was filled 
with many of the prominent people of the country. 

An incident of the review was the running away 
of Gen. Custer's horse, which became unmanage- 
able in the parade and ran past the reviewing stand 
with the dashing general in the saddle and his red 
neck tie streaming out over his shoulders. After 
185 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the steed was subdued the general rode back to the 
reviewing stand and saluted the dignitaries and 
was heartily cheered. Every soldier who marched 
in that parade was impressed with the wording of 
a motto that was stretched across the front of the 
United States treasury. It read, as near as I re- 
member : 

"The only debt we can never pay is the one 
we owe our brave soldiers and sailors." 

Sherman's army. 

Sherman and his veterans were reviewed the fol- 
lowing day and the enthusiasm of the preceding 
day was repeated. The writer was a spectator 
and noted a marked difference in the appearance 
of the two armies. The Army of the Potomac had 
been "slicked up" a little for the occasion, and 
their marching was much better. Gen. Sherman 
expressed contempt for a paper collar on a sol- 
dier and the multitudes saw Sherman's army go 
through Washington just as they had marched to 
the sea. 

"Sherman's Bummers" were an amusing feature 
with their trophies gathered along the march 
through Georgia and the Carolinas, consisting of 
mules, donkeys, oxen, cows hitched to plantation 
carts, and negro contrabands of all sizes and ages 
arrayed in costumes, quaint and ridiculous. 

Immediately after the review the work of dis- 
bandment of the armies began and every day 
186 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

troops were sent north and the sword was laid aside 
for the plowshare. 

SECOND REVIEW OF THE GRAND ARMY. 

I read last night of a Grand Review 
In Washington's chiefest avenue — 
Two hundred thousand men in blue, 

I think they said was the number — 
Till I seemed to hear their tramping feet 
The bugle blast and the drum's quick beat, 
The clatter of hoofs in the stoney street, 
The cheers of the people who came to greet. 
And the thousand details that to repeat 

Would only my verse encumber, — 
Till I fell in a revery, sad and sweet. 

And then to a fitful slumber. 

When, lo! in a vision I seemed to stand 
In the lonely capitol. On each hand 
P"ar stretched the portico; dim and grand, 
Its columns ranged, like a martial band 
Of sheeted spectres whom some command 

Had called to a last reviewing. 
And the streets of the city were white and bare, 
No footfall echoed across the square; 
But out of the misty midnight air 
I heard in the distance a trumpet blare. 
And the wandering night winds seemed to bear 

The sound of a far tattooing. 

Then I held my breath with fear and dread; 
For into the square with a brazen tread. 
There rode a figure whose stately head 

O'erlooked the review that morning, 
That never bowed from its firm-set seat 
When the living column passed its feet. 
Yet now rode steadily up the street 

To the phantom bugle's warning. 

Till it reached the capitol square and wheeled 
And there in the moonlight stood revealed 
A well known form that in state and field 

187 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Had led our patriot sires; 
Whose face was turned to the sleeping camp, 
Afar through the river's fog and damp, 
That showed no flicker, nor waning lamp, 

Nor wasted bivouac fires. 

And I saw a phantom army come. 
With never a sound of fife or drum, 
But keeping time to a throbbing hum 

Of wailing and lamentation; 
The martyred heroes of Malvern Hill, 
Of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville, 
The men whose wasted figures fill 

The patriot graves of the nation. 

And there came the nameless dead — -the men 
Who perished in fever-swamp and fen. 
The slowly-starved of the prison-pen; 

And marching beside the others, 
Came the dusky martyrs of Pillow's fight, 
With limbs enfranchised and bearing bright; 
I thought, perhaps 'twas the pale moonlight — 

They looked as white as their brothers! 

And so all night marched the Nation's dead, 
With never a banner above them spread. 
Nor a badge, nor a motto brandished; 
No mark — save the bare uncovered head 

Of the silent bronze Reviewer; 
With never an arch save the vaulted sky; 
With never a flower save those that lie 
On the distant graves — for love could buy 

No gift that was purer or truer. 

So all night long swept the strange array; 
So all night long, till the morning gray, 
I watched for one who had passed away, 

With a reverent awe and wonder. 
Till a blue cap waved in the lengthening line. 
And I knew that one who was kin of mine 
Had come; And I spake — and lo! that sign 

Awakened me from my slumber. 

— Bret Harte. 



188 




CHAPTER XIX. 

WHEN JOHNNIE COMES MARCHING HOME, 

FTER the grand review, our regiment 
was ordered back into the forts again 
around ArHngton. 

It was not until October, 1865, that we 
marched down Pennsylvania avenue for the last time 
to take the cars for home. Our regiment had gone 
to the front 18 months before, 1500 strong and 
notwithstanding the fact that the 9th New York 
had been consolidated with us we were going home 
with but 500 men. 

At the Baltimore & Ohio railroad depot, in 
Washington, a pathetic incident occurred. A 
dozen or more of the regiment who were yet in 
the hospitals came down to see us off. Among 
them were three or four one-legged men and as 
many minus an arm. What must have been the 
feelings of these men who had to be left behind, 
maimed and crippled for life? 

Our regiment being principally from New York 
City we were sent there for disbandment and were 
quartered in some barracks at the battery for 
a couple of days. 

189 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

One afternoon we marched up Broadway as far 
as the City Hall, where we were reviewed by the 
governor of the state and the mayor of New York. 

The city had sent us a new stand of colors the 
year before and we were returning them, battle- 
scarred and tattered. My blood runs quicker as 
I recall the enthusiastic reception we received that 
afternoon from the crowds that lined Broadway. 

Here and there was a group of veterans who 
had preceded us home. The old 63d, 69th and 
88th New York regiments — Thomas Francis 
Meagher's Irish brigade, with whom we had served 
in Hancock's corps — and when any of these boys 
recognized us they went wild. There are two char- 
acteristics about an Irishman that I like. He is 
never lacking in enthusiasm or bravery. 

After the review the regiment was ordered to 
proceed to Hart's Island, where it was to be paid 
off and disbanded. We went by boat, and an 
amusing episode occurred as the regiment was 
marching aboard. 

Big Ed. of the band, who played one 

of those old-fashioned bis: brass horns reaching; 
back over his shoulder about three feet, and which 
could be heard to the foot of the line of a brig- 
ade, had been out with the boys seeing the sights, 
and it is possible may have been a little unsteady 
of foot. At any rate, he took two or three steps 
backward when he marched on the boat, and in 
doing so missed the gang plank and dropped into 
100 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the cool waters of the bay. He came up clinging 
to his horn and called lustily for help. The colonel 
and a couple of deck hands succeeded in landing 
him, horn and all. 

The last man was finally aboard. The gang 
plank had been hauled in. The boatmen were 
casting off the big heavy ropes that held us to the 
dock, when a voice from shore shouted "Hold 
there !" The voice was that of a big, burly police- 
man. Behind him was a woman holding by one 
hand a boy of about 5 years of age, his curly 
golden locks floating out from under a little blue 
soldier cap. On the other side was a sweet-faced 
little girl. 

"What's wanted .f"' yelled the captain from the 
vipper deck. 

"Is Sergt. Thomas Burke on board.'"' replied 
the big policeman. 

"Blast my eyes if I know," retorted the captain- 
"And I've no time to find out, either. You can 
settle your little business with him some other day," 
probably thinking the sergeant had been out on a 
lark. 

Burke's comrades had found him in the mean- 
time and he came to the side of the boat, and as 
he caught sight of the party, he said with a voice 
choked with emotion. 

"Kate !" 

"Oh, Tom!" responded Kate. 

"Let me off the boat!" shouted Tom. 
191 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"Too late," replied the captain. 

The big wheels of the steamer were churning the 
water when our colonel, who had been attracted 
by the loud talking, appeared and asked what was 
the matter. 

Burke, tall, straight and every inch a soldier, 
but pale and thin from the effects of a wound re 
ceived in the last fighting, saluted his superior 
and said: 

" 'Tis my Avife and children, colonel, that T 
have not seen in almost three years." 

"Tie up your boat again, captain," said the 
colonel. 

The captain ripped and tore and mentioned be- 
tween oaths that he wasn't taking orders from any 
army officers "not even Gen. Grant himself." 

Col, Hulser was furious and pulling his revolver 
he commanded the captain to reverse the engines 
and run out a gang plank. 

The captain muttered between his teeth, touched 
the engineer's bell and the gang plank again 
bridged the space between boat and dock. Sergt, 
Burke walk-ed off, clasped his wife to his breast in 
a passionate embrace, then took a child on each 
arm, turned and faced his comrades, who had, 
sympathetically, been looking on, and they sent 
shoreward a mighty cheer. 

"Bring your wife and little ones aboard!" 
shouted the colonel. 

They came and went with us to Hart's Island, 
192 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

]\Ii*s, Burke explained to the colonel that they 
had come from Tarrytown, or some other town 
up the Hudson, because "Little Mac" (named 
after Gen. George B. McClellan) had begged 
so hard to come and see his papa with the soldiers 
he had fought and marched with, 

Mrs. Burke, Little Mac, and the sweet little 
blue-eyed sister saw the last dress parade of the 
2d Heavy, and Sergt. Thomas Burke stood in line 
with his comrades. 

It was certainly a grand privilege to go all 
through a great war and be permitted to come 
home with one's own comrades. To be present 
at the last roll call. To hear the clatter of the 
bayonets as the battle-scarred muskets are stacked 
for the last time. To see the furling of the tat- 
tered colors that one has followed for four years. 
To hear the last command of the officers, the last 
tattoo and the final "taps." 

There never was such another bugler in the 
whole army of the Potomac as our little Gracey. 
Small of stature, gentle by nature, but a marvel 
with his trumpet. I have told in a former chapter 
how at Cold Harbor, after sounding the charge 
for Gen. Hancock's troops, he sat down by a tree 
and wept like a child when he saw the lines of man- 
gled, bleeding men returning. 

Gracey was at our last dress parade at Hart's 
Island, New York, and after the parade the guns 
were stacked for the last time, and then Gracey 
13 193 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

sounded "taps" or "lights out" as it was always 
called in the army. The call is one of the sweet- 
est, yet saddest of all the army calls and on this 
occasion our old bugler seemed to breathe his 
very soul into his trumpet, for the tears were trick- 
ling down his cheeks while strong, bronzed men 
who had walked up to the cannon's mouth on many 
a famous battlefield were not without emotion as 
they broke the ranks for the last time and bade 
farewell to their old comrades. 

My father and I got! out of the old stage coach 
at Carthage two days later, and as wc alighted 
he remarked that it) was just four years to a day 
since he had left for the war, and I found that my 
services figured up over three years and a half. 



194. 



CHAPTER XX. 

SCATTERING REMINISCENCES. 



A COMRADE S LOVE. 

^ J' AMES TABOR and Dennis Garrity 

O I were about the last two soldiers that 
^ ^ _^^ ^ would have been taken for chums. Gar- 
rity was a great thick-chested Irishman 
with brawny arms and a roistering sort of manner 
who had served through the Crimean war and knew 
more of tactics in the first year of the Civil war 
than half of our officers. 

Tabor was scarce more than a boy, a slender, 
palefaced youth, mild of manner and gentle of 
speech as a girl. 

Tabor's mother had given him a little pocket 
Bible when she kissed him good-bye, and, unmind- 
ful of the jeers of his comrades, he read it every 
evening and knelt and offered up a silent prayer 
before wrapping himself in his blanket. 

When the first death occurred in our camp we 
had no chaplain. Tabor was called upon to read 
the burial service and make a prayer. After that 
some of the boys tried to tease him by calling him 
"parson." 

195 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

AN OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN. 

Away up in York state there was an old- 
fashioned flower garden with roses, hollyhocks, 
sweet-williams, larkspurs, marigolds, lady-slip- 
pers, pansies, violets and other emblems of purity 
and the simple life. The boy had loved that old 
garden, so when it came summer he had a little 
reminder of it with a box of pansies by the side 
of his tent. 

One day a soldier who had been drinking just 
enough of the sutler's beer to make him think he 
was smart came along, and as he passed Tabor's 
tent he gave the box a kick, upsetting it. Garrity 
saw the act, and he took the smart chap by his 
coat collar and shook him as a terrier would a rat. 

A crowd gathered and then Garrity proceeded 
to read the riot act to those assembled. 

"Look a'here, my hearties," said he, "I'm go- 
ing to give you young devils some advice, an' you'll 
be doin' well to mind what I be sayin'. I want 
you young blackguards to be very careful how 
you thrate this lad hereafter. No more pokin' fun 
at his religion, 'twould be better if all of you had 
some of the same. 

"I'm none too good meself an' ought to be count- 
ing me beads oftener than I do, but I likes fair 
play, and be that same token I'll see that James 
Tabor has it or me name is not Dennis. 

"So now, me laddy bucks, if you don't like what 
196 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

I'm sayin' you can put it in your pipes an' smoke 
it." 

This little episode was the beginning of a 
strange and tender attachment between Tabor and 
Garrity that lasted to the close of the war. They 
tented together, slept under the same blanket and 
drank from the same canteen — except when Gar- 
rity's had some of Uncle Sam's commissary in it, 
for Dennis, like many an old compaigner, liked a 
little wliisky. 

The boys called Tabor "Jim" or "Jimmie," but 
it was always James when Garrity spoke of him. 
When Tabor wanted his comrade it was : "Have 
you seen Mr. Garrity.?" 

BIG INJUNS FROM ONONDAGA. 

Among the recruits that came to our regiment 
in the winter of 1862 was a squad of 25 or 30 
Indians from the Onondaga reservation. Among 
them was a fairly good brass band. The officers 
had no business to enHst them, and they were all 
discharged in a few months. 

They were with us one pay day, however, and 
managed to get some firewater. Then they went 
on the war path and there was "blood on the moon" 
and they indulged in war dances that were the real 
thing. One "big Injun" was discovered crawling 
under the back of the colonel's tent. He was armed 
with a sabre bayonet which had been sharpened for 
197 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

the express purpose of lifting the hair of that offi- 
cer. 

They dared all the white men to fi,ght them, and, 
finally, a young buck rubbed up against Garrity, 
who gave him a slap on the side of liis head that 
sent him spinning. This led to a challenge to fight 
and the affair was arranged to take place in the 
fort late in the afternoon. 

GARUITY WAS STRENUOUS. 

A ring was formed, and the men stripped to the 
waist and turned their pants pockets inside out to 
show that they carried no concealed weapons. 
Garrity whipped the Indian in less than two min- 
utes. Then another red man pulled his shirt over 
his head and strode up in front of Garrity, who 
gave him his medicine in short order. Then an- 
other wanted to try his hand and was given a 
chance and was quickly vanquished. 

Perhaps you will think me yarning, but it is the 
truth that our Dennis whipped four strapping 
Onondagas and was ready for more when his little 
guardian angel slid into the ring, and, taking Gar- 
rity by the arm, led him away as though he had 
been a child. 

It was a wonderful influence this little boy had 
over his great, strong comrade. 

Garrity loved a strenuous life and wanted some- 
thing doing all the time if it was nothing more 
198 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

than tossing the colonel's darhey up in a blanket or 
tipping over the cart of a pie peddler. 

He could play cards behind the breastworks with 
the shells screeching over his head or joke a com- 
rade on the firing line. 

In this connection I am reminded of an incident 
at the opening of the second Bull Run battle. The 
regiment was in line of battle nearly tv/o hours in 
the morning without firing a shot. The artillery 
on both sides were pounding away at each other, 
and the strain on the men's nerves was something 
intense. A certain heutenant who had incurred 
the dislike of his men by his pompcusncss in camp 
duties thought that before going into battle he 
would make peace with the boys, so he walked 
along in front of the company and said: "Now, 
my men, we are about to meet the enemy for the 
first time and it is more than likely that some of 
us will never see the sun rise again. In my posi- 
tion it has become my duty on various occasions 
to criticise and reprove, but I hope you will under" 
stand that I meant it for your good. I can assure 
you, that I have a warm place in my heart for 
every one of you, and if any man in the ranks 
feels the least ill will towards me I beg of him to 
put it away out of his heart as we stand here fac- 
ing our foes. 

"I have a further request to make and that is. 
if I fall in this fight, and it is possible for you to 
199 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

do so, that you will have my body embalmed and 
sent home." 

There was not a response for a minute or two 
and then Garrity spoke up : "The boys don't mind 
forgivin' you, leftenant, but if I may be pardoned 
the observation, the facilities for embalming the 
dead on a battlefield are devilish poor." 

That same lieutenant covered the distance be- 
tween Bull Run bridge and the outposts near 
Alexandria before taps were sounded that night, 
and being a large man, he stripped for the race 
and those who saw him at the finish claimed that 
a shirt, trousers and a pair of socks were all that 
were left of his former showy uniform and equip- 
ment. 

His name? Well, the boys of the regiment who 
read this will know and it does not matter to the 
rest whether it was Smith, Jones or Brown. 

Gen. Lee surrendered his army to Gen. Grant 
the 9th day of April, 1865. There was skirmish- 
ing right up to the last minute, notwithstanding 
the fact that negotiations were in progress for 
24 hours, but the last hotly contested battle that 
occurred between the forces was on the afternoon 
of the 7th, when the second corps of the army of 
the Potomac came in contact with the bulk of Lee's 
army on the old Lynchburg stage road. 

They were intrenched on the crest of a long 
slope of open ground and Gen. Miles division was 
ordered to attack. The old first division of the 
200 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

second corps had been in the habit of sweeping 
things when they went for the enemy, but in this 
last fight they were repulsed by the desperate con- 
federates, who, though they were weary and nearly 
famished, fought with the desperation of a hunted 
animal brought to bay. 

It was in this encounter that the subject of this 
sketch received the wound that nearly cost him hib 
life. 

Gen. Miles' troops after reaching the works of 
the enemy had to retrace their steps and leave their 
dead and wounded under the guns of the enemy. 

When our regiment re-formed again every one 
was looking around to see who was missing and it 
was then that Dennis Garr'ity discovered that 
Tabor had been left behind. 

He would go back and find James, he said, and 
no entreaties would stop him. 

"Dennis Garrity will bring that poor boy in or 
he'll lay out there on the field with him," he said, 
and Dennis went, with the bullets and shells fly- 
ing and brought in his "little James" on his back, 
fully a half a mile, and took him to the field sur- 
geons and had his wound promptly attended to, 
w^hich probably saved his life. 

Dennis was with us in the final review when we 
marched down Pennsylvania avenue in the grand- 
est and most impressive pageant that ever took 
place in this country. 

Tabor was lying on a cot in a hospital. 
201 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

We marched back to our Virginia camp that 
night, and as the men were unbuckling their equip- 
ments Dennis looked up and said : " 'Twas a 
bloody shame that James wasn't with us to-day." 

WOMAN AND WAR. 

"Down the picket-guarded lane 
Rolled the comfort-laden wain, 
Cheered by shouts that shook the plain, 

Soldier-like and merry; 
Phrases such as camps may teach, 
Sabre cuts of Saxon speech. 
Such as 'Bully !' "Them's the peach !" 

'Wade in Sanitary !' 

******** Harte. 

The names of women do not figure in the official 
reports of the war. They were not gazetted for 
gallant deeds ; thousands were unknown beyond the 
neighborhood where they worked zealously to or- 
o-anize "Soldiers' Aid Societies," for no town was 
too remote from the scene of action not to have its 
relief committee who were constantly collecting 
comforts and necessities to be forwarded to the 
front. 

What each family first started out to do for 
their own fathers, Ijrothcrs, husbands and lovers 
soon became general, and many prompted by love 
imd patriotism left home and its comforts and 
went down into the very edge of the great battles 
to help rescue the wounded. They endured hard- 
ships and proved themselves angels of mercy as 
only women can. 

203 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Tens of thousands of maimed veterans will re- 
member with tenderness the noble women who min- 
istered to them on the battlefield, on transports 
and in hospitals. 

I am sure that none of Hancock's old corps will 
ever cease to rem-araber the motherly Mrs. Hus- 
band, Miss Clara Barton, Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Anna 
Holstein, Aliss Cornelia Hancock, a relative of the 
general ; Miss Willetts, or Mrs. Barlow, wife of 
Gen. Francis C. Barlow of the 1st division. 

The story of the army life of the last named 
woman is full of interest and romance. She was 
a true friend of the men in the ranks, and her purse 
was frequently opened to give money to some 
wounded soldier who was being sent to some north" 
cm hospital without a cent in his pocket. 

She followed her husband's troops through the 
unequaled and appalling scenes of blood and 
hardship in Grant's campaign of '6i, using her 
strength so that she finally sickened and went 
home to die in a few months. If ever there was a 
pure noble woman it was Mrs. Barlow. 

I heard an incident of a lady going among the 
wounded at Spottsylvania. Seeing a pale-faced 
boy whose helplessness had touched her heart, she 
stopped by his side and said : "Is there anything 
that can be done for you, my poor boy?" 

"No, thank you," was the reply, "but there's 
a fellow at my kft that you might help," pointing 
to an ashen-faced man dressed in confederate gray. 
203 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"He's a rebel," she said, "and there's thousands 
of our own boys that need attention." 

"That's so," the boy in blue said, "but he is 
far from home, helpless and among the enemy, 
and is somebody's boy and if he is a rebel, he's 
an American." 

The reb feigned sleep, but he had heard every 
word, and when the woman kneeled down by his 
side and commenced to bathe his face and hands 
with bay rum the tears began to steal out from 
under his eyelashes and he finally burst right out 
crying. This was too much for the tender heart 
of woman and she cried, too, and rough men about 
them who had marched up in front of flaming gvms 
the day before wept like children. 

THE ARMY SUTLER. 

The sutler was a prominent person in war times. 
He sold everything, from a molasses cookie to 
butter, at 80 or 90 cents a pound. 

When the boys did not have the money they 
would get an order on the sutler from their cap- 
tain, and the amount was charged up against their 
pay. The sutler would issue tickets in various 
amounts from 5 cents up. 

The business was very profitable and many made 
fortunes. The soldiers used to regard the pros- 
perous sutler with envy, but he is never heard 
of now, and I do not know of one who makes claim 
204 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

to having assisted in saving the Union in that 
capacity. 

I remember our first pay day in Virginia. Our 
colonel thought it would be a fine thing to give 
the men a three days' holiday, so after dress par- 
ade he made a Httle speech about as follows : 

"My poys, I vas browd of you and I vas goin' 
to gif you a tree day holiday. There vill pe no 
drills, no parades, no notting but fun. Haf a 
good time. Pe good poys and after it vas all ofer 
we vill go after that Sheneral Shackson and lick 
him like h— 1." 

As the sutlers all sold beer in the early part of 
the war, there was pretty hilarious times for three 
days. 

Peddlers of all sorts used to infest the camps 
about pay day and more than one "pieman" got 
his cart upset during Col. Von Wagner's "three 
days' grace." 

In the summer of 1862 gold and silver went to 
a premium and got pretty scarce. It was before 
the "shinplasters" were issued and postage stamps 
were used largely in lieu of small change. I re- 
member one day I was over among McClellan's 
troops, and as I was passing a wagon where ice 
cream and soft drinks were dispensed, I heard some 
loud words and pretty soon someone cried out, 
"Over with the wagon boys," and over it went. 
The vendor claimed that someone had been treat- 
ing a large crowd to everything he had to sell and 

205 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

then offered in payment stamps that had been 
once used on letters. Of course the boys took of- 
fense at an imputation on their honesty, hence 
the capsizing of the cart. 

OLD LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE. 

A lieutenant of our regiment who was captured 
at the second Bull Run, was returned to us some 
months later. We were then doing garrison duty 
near Arhngton. Our company waf^ at a fort 
named "Haggerty," which had been built on a 
little hill on the road leading from the Georgetown 
bridge to Arlington. 

The roadway had been dug through the hill 
leaving the banks for a long distance on each side, 
from 10 to 40 feet above the road. 

An old dry canal ran parallel with the road 
from the bridge to Alexandria. 

The next day after the lieutenant had been re- 
turned to the regiment he obtained leave to go 
over to Washington for the purpose of supplying 
himself with a new uniform, and it is more than 
likely that he celebrat^ed his release from captivity 
by visiting numerous places where liquid as well as 
other refreshments were dispensed. He did not 
return to camp until evening, and the night being 
dark and the officer not being familiar with the 
lay of the land he started up the bed of the old 
canal instead of the road. When opposite the fort 
he heard the drummers beating the tattoo and he 
206 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

made a sharp turn to the right and headed in the 
direction of the sounds. 

After going a few rods he walked off the bank 
and dropped about 30 feet into 15 inches of soft 
Virginia mud. We heard cries of help interspersed 
with oaths and other remarks that would have 
done credit to a pirate captain. A light was pro- 
cured, a crowd gathered and one of the men asked 
what was the matter. The voice was recognized 
and out of the depth came the response: "Its me 
sergeant and for God's sake come and help me out 
of this hole." Three or four of the men went to 
his rescue and when the party came up the path- 
way they were greeted by a large crowd headed 
by the captain, who inquired of the officer how it 
happened that he was down there in the road. 

The lieutenant presented a ludicrous appear- 
ance, bare-headed and in his mud bedraggled uni- 
form as he saluted and explained: "You see 
Cap'n," said he "I lost me latitude and longitude 
when I left the bridge." The captain laughed. 
The men shouted and ever after that he was known 
as "old latitude and longitude." 

FAKING DISABILITY. 

In a regiment of 1,000 men it is not to be 
wondered at that there are some few who are defi- 
cient in the qualities that make good soldiers. 

Perhaps they had enrolled their names because 
they had been carried away by the enthusiasm of 
207 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

a "war meeting" where it was always pictured out 
as being an act of heroism to volunteer. Then the 
chances of promotion and the opportunities to see 
the country were always depicted in their most 
glowing colors by speakers who in most cases were 
very careful to not put their own names do^vn. 
After the recruit has become an atom of a thou- 
sand he realizes that he is not of as much conse- 
quence as he expected to be, and it is not strange 
that now and then there was one who had not the 
"sand" to stand up like a man and be just as 
good a soldier as he could. In that case he re- 
sorted to all sorts of ingenious devices to procure 
his discharge from the army. 

In the summer of 1862 our surgeon — we used 
to call him "Old Symptoms" — was puzzled by the 
numerous cases of fever sores that he had to treat ; 
finally he "got onto" their game by the accidental 
discovery of a man wearing a copper penny bound 
on his leg for the purpose of producing one. 
"Weak heart" was frequently feigned by a can- 
didate for discharge and all sorts of deceptions 
were attempted on the surgeons, who had to be 
pretty good judges of human nature in order to 
detect the true from the false. 

The case of a man in our regiment, whom we 
will call Jackson, baffled the cunning and skill of 
"Old Symptoms" when we were in the forts near 
Fairfax seminary. Jackson pretended to be out 
of his head and the officers got so they did not ex- 
308 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

act any duties of him, not even to answer roll call. 
Pie came and went und did as he had a mind to. 
Near the fort was a large farm which he pretended 
he had bought and he used to spend most of his 
time down there working and ordering about the 
men, who humored him in his notions. Finally 
his case was passed upon by a board of surgeons 
and his discharge ordered. As he was leaving 
camp for home one of the boys asked him what 
he was going to do with his farm and he winked 
as he replied, that he thought the Watkins family 
could run it without his help. 

I recall the case of another young man who be- 
came demented. He would not eat or leave his tent 
anless driven out. His clothes and person became 
filthy and finally the old surgeon ordered two men 
to take him to a stream and give him a good scrub- 
bing in almost ice cold water, for it was in a winter 
month. 

The treatment was severe but had the desired 
effect of arousing his manhood and from that 
day he was a changed person and soon became a 
model soldier, noted for clean gun, equipment, etc., 
and I am pleased to add was finally made a ser- 
geant and served to the end of the war with honor. 

AN ACT OF HEROISM. 

When Frederick Funston swam the little Fili- 
pino river in the face of a handful of cowardly 
natives, the act was heralded all over the world 
14 209 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

as one of great heroism and he was rewarded by 
a general's commission, yet I venture to say that 
there is hardly a civil war veteran, who saw active 
service, but that has knowledge of numerous equal- 
ly as heroic acts chat were scarcely known of out- 
side of the man's own company or regiment. 

Scarcely a gathering of veterans but has more 
than one hero among them whose fame has been 
forgotten except but for a few of his comrades, 
and the chances are that the man has had hard 
work to get the government to recognize his claim 
to a pittance of a pension to keep him out of the 
poor house. 

I recall an incident of great bravery by an 
officer of our regiment who went to the war as a 
bugler in my company. In Decernxber, 1864, a 
part of the 5th and 2d corps, and Gen. Gregg's 
division of cavalry wei'e sent to the left again to 
try and turn Lee's right flank. The weather was 
intensely cold for that country, ice forming on all 
of the streams. 

The enemy Avcre encountered at Hatcher's Run 
and it was desired to dislodge a confederate battery 
that was ' masked in some woods on tlie opposite 
side of the stream. A staff officer rode down in 
front of our regiment and asked Maj. Hulser if 
he could furnish men to cross the stream and 
charge the battery. The major called for volun- 
teers and the first man to respond was Capt. Or- 
lando T. Bliss of Co. F, a former Carthage boy, 
210 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

who witli the missiles flying thick and fast stepped 
out in front of his company and asked all who 
were willing to go with him to step ten paces to the 
front, and when evei*y man of the company lined 
up with their captain the 2nd heavy applauded 
the act with a hearty cheer. 

Additional volunteers were called for and Capt. 
George Amies (now Major Armes, retired, of 
Washington, D. C), and his company responded. 

It seemed a hazardous undertakincf but the men 
did not falter as they waded into the icy cold 
water whicli v.'as up to the armpits of most of them 
and in many places there were deep holes, so that 
not a few had to swim, but once across th-e stream 
they made a rush for the battery and the rebel 
artillerists took to their heels. 

The suffering of the soldiers was great that 
night, as it was bitter cold and the clothing of 
those who forded the stream would have frozen on 
them only that the men built fires and stood around 
them. 

Gren. Miles commended the conduct of the men 
in general orders and the two officers were breveted 
for their gallantry. 

In this connection I cannot refrain from relat- 
ing a little episode in the army experience of Capt, 
Bliss in which a certain drummer boy was mixed 
up. 

It wos earlier in the war and our regiment was 
doing duty at Arlington. 
211 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Bliss was a corporal and had charge of our 
drum corps. One day the acting drum major and 
a certain lad of my acquaintance thought they 
would go over to Washington. When they applied 
to the adjutant for a pass he told them they 
would have to defer their visit until some other 
day, as he could not issue any more passes that 
day, but who ever knew a boy that would put off 
a pleasure until to-morrow that he could have to- 
day. The two boys had friends in the quarter- 
master's department who had standing passes to 
go after supplies, and it occurred to them that 
they could borrow a couple, which they did, and 
went to the city, visited the theatre, and had a 
fine time. 

Not having the countersign they had to return 
before dark, and as they walked up to the sentry 
box at the end of the bridge on the Georgetown 
side, who should step out with the sentry but our 
ad j utant. 

It is needless to say that the boys were surprised 
and the officer admitted he was also. He inquired 
if they had passes and when they were produced 
he took them and sent the young volunteers over 
to the fort under arrest. 

Shortly after noon the next day the sergeant 
major took the youngest lad over to the colonel's 
tent where he listened to a severe lecturing, after 
which he was made to do penance by standing on 
the head of a barrel four hours in the sun. Say, 
212 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

but the end of a barrel is a pretty small space to 
stand on for that length of time with the sun up 
in the nineties ! Among the orders read on dress 
parade that night was one reducing Corp. Bliss 
to the ranks. 

But a more fearless man never shouldered a 
musket and shortly after we went to the front 
Bliss had won his stripes again. At Cold Har- 
bor he was made a sergeant, at Petersburg a lieu- 
tenant, at Reams Station a captain, at Hatcher's 
Run brevet major and if the war had lasted long 
enough and some rebel bullet had not caught him 
he would have been wearing a star. 

BRAVE PETE BOYLE A DRUMMER BOY FROM THE 
BOWERY. 

As I passed a man in City Hall park, New York, 
late one afternoon not many years ago I instinc- 
tively felt that I had known him. He was sitting 
on one of the park seats and the particular thing 
that arrested my attention was a red clover shaped 
badge that was fastened on the lapel of his coat. 
To one who was with Hancock at Gettysburg or 
followed his lead from the Rapidan to Appomat- 
tox, tender memories are evoked when the old 2d 
corps' badge is seen. 

Whenever I see a man with the talismanic em- 
blem on I just feel like taking off my hat to him. 
So after I had passed the New York veteran I 
tliought to myself I should like to know sorae- 
213 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

thing of his history. I wheeled about, retraced my 
steps and approaching him saluted and said, 
"How are you, old 2d corps." 

It docs not take long for two veterans to get 
acquainted and the exchange of a few words re- 
vealed the fact that we had been members of the 
same regiment. In fact it was none other than 
"Pete" Boyle, a member of our old 2d heavy drum 
corps. 

One of the first things "P«te" said was, "Do 
you remember that Maryland fair.?" I certainly 
did and will try and tell the readers something 
a.bout ilt. 

It was just a town fair and not on a very large 
scale either, but it was held in a beautiful and 
prosperous settlement a few miles from Washing- 
ton and the people all turned in and made the most 
of it and had a glorious time. The drum corps 
of the 2d New York was engaged as one of the 
star attractions. 

It all came about because our adjutant married 
a daughter of Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth, the 
famous writer of those old-time fascinating 
Ledger stories, such as the "Hidden Hand," 
"Ishmael," etc., etc. Her home was in 
Georgetown and she, having friends out in 
the country, where the fair was to be held 
had told marvelous tales of the dandy drum corps 
of the 2d and as a result we were excused from 
camp duties and allowed to go to the fair, drink 
214 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

red lemonade and dance with the pretty country 
maidens. We thoroughly enjoyed the respite from 
camp hfe and made the most of our two days' stay 
with the Marylanders. 

Did you ever go out into a peach orchard in 
the early morning and eat the luscious fruit that 
had dropped off in the night? "No?" Well, then 
you have never tasted the true flavor of a peach. 
The house where we were quartered was flanked 
on three sides by a peach orchard and we got up 
in the morning, went out and sat under the trees 
and stowed away peaches enough to stock a fruit 
stand. 

Pete Boyle was the largest boy of the drum 
corps and he was a born swell. His home was 
New York. He had been a newsboy in the Bowery 
district. He was a clog and jig dancer equal to 
many of the professionals and when it came to 
sparring and wrestling he was the champion light- 
weight of the regiment. 

After Pete had taken part in one "Virginia 
reel" which gave him the opportunity to show off 
some of his fancy steps he could have had any- 
thing he wanted from those Maryland farmers, 
and the girls, why they vv^ere just falling over each 
other to a-et a chance to dance with him. 

As I have stated, Pete was a swell and would 
never wear government clothes without having 
them cut over and made to fit, and he would not 
215 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

hide his shapely No. 5 foot with a government 
brogan. 

The girls were all watching Pete from out of 
the corners of their eyes, but it was noticed that 
one in particular was his favorite and that he 
danced with her quite frequently, wliich was not 
looked upon with favor by her Maryland escort 
who was big enough to eat Pete up. 

The morning of the second day while we were 
out in the peach orchard a darkey approached 
our party and asking for "Mistah Boyle" handed 
Pete a note which after looking over, Pete read 
to us. It was in substance as follows : 
"Mr. Peter Boyle: 

"I thought you might like to know, being as 
3^ou are a Union soldier, that the young lady you 
have been paying so much attention to is a secesh 
sympathizer and has a brother with Mosby the 
rebel guerilla. A word to the wise is sufficient. 

"JOE YARDSLEY." 

Of course I am not giving the real name that 
was signed but it will answer for the purpose of 
this article. 

Pete called the darkey, gave him a quarter and 
said, "You can go and tell Joe Yardsley that I 
said that if he was half a man he would be with 
Sue's brother. Tell him that I think he is a sneak 
and a coward and if he will come over in the grove 
about 5 o'clock this afternoon I will slap his face." 

The darkey showed his white teeth, scratched 
216 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

his head and digging his big toe in the sand said, 
"I reckon I bettah not tole dait to Joe. Dem 
Yardsleys got a powerful temper, dey hab, an' 
dey boss all de young fellahs' roun' yere. 

"All right, Sam," said Pete, "You tell him just 
what I told you." 

That afternoon Pete and Sue were inseparable. 
They made themselves conspicuous everywhere. 

The darkey brought Pete another note during 
the day and it simply said, "I will meet you in the 
grove. J. Y." 

Of course all of us boys went over with Pete 
and the Marylander brought three companions. 

The two principals stripped to the waist and 
I confess I was fearful of the result when I saw 
how much larger Pete's antagonist was than he. 

When they got the word Yardsley made a spring 
at Pete who dropped his head and butted the big 
fellow below the wind and slid him over his back. 
He got up and came furiously at our Pete again. 
But he knew a lot of Bowery tricks and quick as 
a flash stepped aside, caught him around the neck, 
whirled him around and threw him, slapped his 
face smartly and then let him up. The fellow 
rushed at Pete again, who now thought it about 
time to quit fooling, and he landed a good hard 
blow on the fellow's nose and mouth which stag- 
gered him and made the blood fly. 

The spectators on both sides thought that the 
aff'air had gone far enough and called for a cessa- 
217 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

tion of hostilities, Pete offered to shake hands 
with his antagonist, but he dcchned and went away 
muttering threats. 

That evening we started for our Virginia camp 
in a large carry-all accompanied by a bevy of 
young people on horseback. They rode with us 
a couple of miles and then bade us good night and 
good bye, and as we drove away we heard them 
singing, "Maryland, My Maryland." 

When I sat down to write of my old comrade 
it was to tell of two deeds of heroism performed 
by him and not of his adventures at a country- 
fair, but when I unrolled my knapsack of war 
memories, the incidents narrated came tumbling 
out with the rest so I have jotted them down. 

A HERO OF WAR AT COLD HARBOR. 

A drummer boy of our regiment who was carry- 
ing a musket was wounded and left between the 
lines. There were many others of our comrades 
there, too, but somehow to us drummer boys who 
had beaten the reveille and tattoo together and 
tramped at the head of the regiment so many long 
and wearisome marches, the thought that one of 
our number was lying out there in the blazing 
June sun suffering not only pain but the terrible 
agony of thirst, stirred our sympathies to the ut- 
termost and we longed to go to his relief, but 
dared not for it was like throwing one's life away 
to show himself over the breastworks. 
218 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

It was late in the afternoon that Peter Boyle, 
"our Pete," suggested a plan by which our com- 
rade was rescued. Pete cut three or four scrub 
pine trees which abounded there and proposed that 
he and a couple of otliers sliould use them as a 
screen and go out between the lines. 

"Why not wait till dark and go?" someone 
asked. But then it was feared he could not be 
found. 

The bushes were set over the breastworks one at 
a time so as not to attract attention and as there 
were many more growing like them they were prob" 
ably not noticed. When the evening twilight came 
on Pete and two others crawled over the breast- 
works and got behind the trees. Each had a cou- 
ple of canteens of water for they knew that there 
would be many to whom a mouthful would be so 
very acceptable. 

The three boys crawled and wriggled themselves 
toward the rebel lines shielded by the trees. Their 
movements necessarily had to be very slow so as 
not to attract the attention of the enemy. The 
rus'e was well planned and executed, but fraught 
with much danger. They found their comrade and 
had to lie behind their shelter until darkness con- 
cealed their movements, and then the wounded com- 
rade was brought into the lines and his life saved. 

A HERO OF PEACE. 

Boyle performed a more heroic act at a New 
York fire in the Bowery a few years ago. 

219 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

One afternoon a fire broke out in a block, the 
two upper stories of which were used as a "sweat 
shop." Boyle was playing the drums in the or- 
chestra of an adjoining theatre. He, with others, 
ran up on to the roof and saw scores of girls who 
had been working in the burning building, run- 
ning frantically around the roof. The flames had 
cut them off from the lower part of the building 
and they had gone to the roof, but as the block 
was higher than all of the adjoining ones except 
the theatre and that was separated by the space of 
several feet, it seemed that they were lost and 
many flung themselves in despair to the street. 

Boyle took in the situation instantly and calling 
to his aid two men they wrested an iron fire escape 
from its fastenings on the theatre and with it 
bridged the space between the buildings. 

Pete then laid a board on top of it and finding 
that many of the girls dare not cross, he took a 
rope with him, and went over on the burning 
building, threw one end back to his helpers and then 
compelled the girls to walk over the bridge, us- 
ing the rope as a hand rail. His bravery and nerve 
saved the lives of very many who but for him 
would have been lost. 

He was the last one to leave the roof of the 
building and was so badly burned that he had to 
go to the hospital, and when I met him that day 
in the park he was just getting around again. 

Peter Boyle probably never attended a Sunday 
220 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

school in his hfe, but I am glad that my faith is 
of the kind that helps me to beheve that when the 
Book of Life is opened there will be found a bal- 
ance to his credit. 

A COMRADE IN GRAY. 

While attending a G. A. R. encampment at 
Washington not many years ago, a party of us 
thought we would run over to the sleepy old town 
of Alexandria one afternoon. 

Grass was growing in the streets and the town 
had a deserted appearance, all so very different 
from war times, when thousands of soldiers were 
in and about the city. Among other places of 
interest we visited was the little church where 
Washington used to worship. Sitting on the steps 
was a dusty, grizzly, crippled man of 60, 
munching a dry crust of bread. He was dressed 
in a threadbare suit of gray, and we knew he 
was a southerner, but as we passed into the church 
he gave us a military salute. 

When we came out he was still nibbling away, 
trying to find the soft side of his bread, and one 
of our party ventured the remark that "dry bread 
wasn't much of a meal." 

"That's so, but when rations are low and the 
commissary wagons are to the rear, you've got 
to fill up on what you can get. I've camped long- 
side of dry bread and water more'n once." 

"Going anywhere .?" 

mi 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"Well, I reckon I be if my old legs don't give 
out. Got a brother over on the Eastern Sho' of 
Maryland and I am marching that way." 

"Were you in the war.?" 

"I reckon I was, boys, but on 'tother side. Ah, 
but I can shet my eyes and see jist how Gineral 
Pickett looked when he led us agin your 2d corps, 
(he had noticed the red clover leaf pinned on our 
coats) over at Gettysburg on that 3d of July. 
Say, Yanks, but 'twere bilin' that afternoon. IIov/ 
one of us got back alive is more'n I can tell." 

The survivor of the "Lost cause" had by this 
time forgotten all about his rations. He was 
living again in the past. Like a tired old war 
horse at the sound of a Inigle, he had risen from 
the steps and the light of battle flamed in his eye 
as he continued: 

"Yes, boys, I was right there with Pickett — 
not coolin' coffee back under the wagons, or I 
wouldn't hev got two of your bullets in me, nor 
been jabbed with a bay 'net trying to get over the 
stone wall near that clump of trees. Lord, but 
I thought I was a goner sure." 

We acknowledged it was a hot place. 

"Hot! Well I reckon I got 'bout as near old 
Satan's headquarters that day as a live man can. 
When 37 out of a company of 50 are snuffed out 
and a half a dozen of the others wounded you may 
reckon we thought you'uns were going to wipe 
we 'uns out." 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

He now tossed his crust away with a look of 
contempt and, grasping his hickory stick with 
a firm grip, followed us to a nearby restaurant, 
where we invited him to a good square meal, after 
which we smoked our cigars while the survivor of 
Pickett's charge continued his narrative as lie 
sipped a generous glass of apple brandy, 

"We held our breath waiting for the signal guns 
that were to let us know when the ball was to open. 

The regiments fell in just like clockwork, lots 
of the boys lookin' white round the gills, and not 
a word was spoken above a whisper except as the 
commands were given. Attention ! Forward ! and 
we went down across those fields, with Pickett lead- 
ing on horseback and every company dressed as 
though we were marching in a review. 

"Boom! Boom! You'ns let 'em all off on us at 
once. Say, Yanks, the screamin' of the grape and 
cannister was awful, and they just cut wide swaths 
in our ranks, but Ave didn't quit — did we — until 
we were all cut to pieces ,?" 

"We were close to your lines when I got a bullet 
in my leg and as I stooped over to see whei'e I was 
hit my shoulder caught another. That made me 
fighting mad and I tried to go over the stone wall 
when one of them Irish brigade fellers chucked 
his bay 'net into me and that laid me cut so that 
I was off duty awhile, 

'"But dog-goncd if I didn't get back just in 
time to run up against your old second corps again 
223 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

at Spottsjlvaiiia. Kinder seems we couldn't git 
away from you'ns. But, comrades, I ain't got 
nuthin' agin you. 

"Say, that 'bloody angle,' reminded me of Get- 
tysburg. The bullets made basket stuff of the 
small oaks, and large ones, too." 

"And when we charged up against them log 
breastworks you fellers would jest reach over and 
jab us with your bay'nets." 

"My, but your man Grant was no quitter, was 
he? We thought we were going to drive you 
fellers back 'cross the Rapidan, as we had done 
many times before, but Ulysses jist shut his teeth 
down tighter on his cigar and kept moving by the 
left flank. 

"But our Uncle Robert wasn't caught napping 
anywhere, was he? When you tried us at the Pa- 
munky river, Totopotomy, North Anna and Cold 
Harbor, you found us ready for you every time. 
Say, old second corps, we got even with you fel- 
lers at Cold Harbor for the way you had treated 
us before. Didn't we? 

"But I'm dog-goned if U. S. G. knew when he 
was whipped, and, instead of going back and restin' 
up as the others useter do, and come out in the 
spring with new uniforms and guns a-shinin', why 
h'3 jist tried another left flanker on us and brought 
up at Petersburg, where it was nip and tuck for 
a long time. 

"You could get plenty of men and money and 
234 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

we had got the last of the boys and their grand- 
fathers months before and were busted in every- 
thing but grit. We knew the jig was up, but were 
goin' to die game, and when you rounded us up 
at Appomattox the last ounce of corn meal wer' 
gone." 

The veteran's eyes were moist as he expressed 
thanks for his entertainment and said he must be 
"marchin' on." We suggested that he would prob- 
ably find his brother in Maryland, settle down and 
forget his hardships and battles. 

"Forgit nuthin ; why I'd rather lose my arms 
than to forgit how Gen. Pickett looked that day 
as 5,000 men behind him marched to death. When 
you keep step with a man down to the jaws of 
death and go back alone, if you forgit him ye 
are not fit to crawl ! But, I ain't anything agin 
ye, Yanks ; 'All is quiet on the Potomac' now and 
if I git in comfortable quarters over in Maryland 
should like to have you boys come and camp with 
me a week and eat some of them luscious Eastern 
Sho' oysters, canvas backs and fat terrapin." 

As we shook his hand we pressed a few silver 
quarters in the palm and when he started away 
he turned and with a husky voice said : 

"Good bye, old second corps ; I'm dog-goned if 
I'll ever forgit you'ns." 

A PRECIOUS COFFEE POT. 

Not many years since I spent a night with a 
15 225 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

comrade in his home in a city of central New 
York and we sat and smoked and talked, and talked 
and smoked, until long after midnight. The walls 
of his den were adorned with guns, sabres, can- 
teens, cartridge boxes and belts and various other 
war relics. Conspicuously displayed among the 
other decorations was a battered and blackened 
coffee pot. 

"Yes," he replied in answer to my inquiry, "it 
is the same old coffee pot I carried from Washing- 
ton to Appomattox and is one of my most cher- 
ished keepsakes." 

"About the time we went to the front I was in 
the city one day and knowing that a coffee pot 
was a very useful utensil to a soldier I invested 
in the best copper bottom one that I could find. 
There was not another one in the company and 
money could not buy one when we were in the field. 
Six of us regularly made coffee in it, and others 
used to take turns in borrowing it for various pur- 
poses, such as cooking rice, beans, meat' boihng 
shirts and the making of those famous old 'Liver- 
pool stews' when we were fortunate enough to get 
an onion, two or three potatoes with hardtack, 
pepper and salt." 

"Many a batch of flap jacks have I stirred up 
in that old coffee pot, paying the sutler 25 cents a 
pound for self -rising flour. The ears and handle 
got melted off after a time, but I punched holes 
where the ears had been, hooked the bale in and 
S26 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

so it lasted to the end. My wife wanted to scour 
the black off, but I wouldn't have it. 

"Why, it took the smoke of more than a thou- 
sand camp fires to put that finish on it ! 

"I thought once I had lost it. You remember 
the day we had that running fight at Sailor's 
Creek when we were chasing Lee and waded the 
stream waist deep? The banks were steep, you 
know, and fringed with bushes that got tangled 
with our equipments as we went through them. 
Well, somehow or other my coflfee pot got pulled 
off my haversack, but I did not know it until we 
had got some distance away, when one of the boys 
who used it regularly, exclaimed: 'By thunder. 
Will, you've lost your coffee pot, and what in Sam 
Hill will we do for coffee now?" 

"I remembered having it when we crossed the 
creek, for several of us used it to fill our canteens, 
so I told my pardner I was going back after it. 
I found it hanging to a bush and was better pleased 
than if I had picked up a hundred dollar green- 
back." 

ARMY CHAPLAINS. 

"Just why the 2d New York did not have a 
chaplain I do not know, and it is too late now 
to find out. Probably the officers didn't want one 
or else there were not enough to go around among 
the 2,000 or more organizations in the service, for 
we were not the only regiment without one. 
337 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

There were some grand men who served as chap- 
lains and thej not only ministered to the soldiers 
in spiritual matters, but looked after the welfare 
of the men in many ways. Particularly were they 
of service to the wounded on the battlefield. I 
never heard of a cowardly chaplain and instances 
are not few in number where they were wounded or 
taken prisoner. There were also several killed in 
battle. 

Speaking of a regiment not having a chaplain, 
reminds me of an old camp fire story about two 
New York regiments between which existed great 
rivalry. An earnest and eloquent chaplain was 
conducting a series of meetings among the regi- 
ments that were without chaplains and he went 
to the colonel of one of the regiments referred to 
and asked permission to hold divine services. The 
colonel told him it would do no good. "The truth 
is, chaplain, the boys are the devil's own fighters, 
but I am afraid you would find it a tough job try- 
ing to make saints out of them." 

The chaplain insisted he should like to hold a 
service and mentioned incidentally that he had 

preached several times to the d New \ork 

and there had been a number of converts. "Why 
only last Sunday I baptized a dozen of them." 

At the mention of his rival the bluff old fighter 
was interested and immediately gave his consent. 

The Sunday following the regiment was drawn 
up in a hollow square and the colonel told the men 



tirtinl Taps in Dixie. 

that he had invited chaplain "so-and-so" to preach 
to them and then added: "If one of you dares to 
make faces, laugh or even move I'll order you to 
the guard house with ball and chain." 

The men were all attention during the preach- 
ing and when the chaplain had finished he was 
surprised to hear the colonel give the following 
order to the adjutant: 

"Officer, detail 24 men for baptism immediately. 
I'll be d — d if we are going to be beaten in any- 
thing by that dirty, cowardly — d New York." 

A sentinel's reverie. 

The lonely picket on an outpost between two 
vast contending armies occupies an important pos- 
ition. Great responsibilities rest upon him, hence 
the penalty of being found asleep on one's post 
used to be death. 

The situation is conducive to serious medita- 
tions. You stand in the shade of a tree which 
screens you from any reb who may be crawling 
about for a shot at some careless Yank. 

The moon sends a beam through the leaves right 
into your eye, and you recall that it is the same 
old moon way down in Virginia that used to shine 
up in York State. You think how you and some 
one else who is far away used to lean across the 
gate, look at the moon and then at each other and 
sigh. 

Thien you wonder if some one is thinking of you. 
239 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

You wish you might get a slight wound so you 
could go home where all would be talking of your 
bravery. Perhaps it would touch some one's heart 
so she would say "yes." 

Then you would think of your present condi- 
tion; you wonder why it is that such a fellow as 
lazy Jim Lee should be "commissioned" instead of 
you, who never "shirked" a guard. You pro- 
nounce the war a failure, and would like to see 
the leaders, on both sides hung. You wonder if 
your regiment will get into another battle to-day, 
and say to yourself that you don't care if you 
get killed (you do thougji), and then you think 
of your poor comrade "Dave," who was killed at 
your side yesterday morning in a charge on the 
enemy in that clump of "pines" over there at the 
right. You put your hand in your pocket and 
draw forth the lock of hair you cut from his head 
when his life's blood was ebbing away, and which 
he told you to send to his "dear old mother." You 
brush the silent tear away that has commenced to 
course its way down your dust covered cheek. 

Then from out the half-light sounds a solitary 
bugle, like the first ivavering note of the roused 
bird, chirping good morning to its mate. A sec- 
ond bugle answers its reveille. Another and another 
sound along the line. The drums take up their 
morning rattle. Soon the air is filled wih their 
deafening jubilee, for they beat with a perfect 
recklessness at the "get up" time of the camp. The 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

hum of voices begin to rise. The roll call is gone 
through with. Mules whinner and horses neigh. 
The camps are alive. The birds sing, and — it is 
day. There comes the "relief ^uard." 

A LETTER FROM THE FRONT. 

The following is the copy of an old letter 
yellow with age, that was sent home during war- 
time. 

"In the trenches near Petersburg, Va. 

"Sept. 14, 1864." 
"My Dear Friend: 

Having a little leisure time I thought I would 
send you a few lines. 

You are aware that I am attached to the 2d N. 
Y. Heavy Artillery, or as the infantrymen call it. 
the "2d Weighty." 1st brigade, 1st division, 2d 
Corps, under the command of Gen. Hancock ; one 
of the finest looking soldiers in this or any other 
army, and what is better the boys all love him, and 
he is proud of his men. If you have kept track of 
the movements of the army of the Potomac I need 
not tell you the part that Hancock and his men 
have had in them. 

We are now in camp about midway between City 
Point and Ream's Station, and the corps is recruit- 
ing up very rapidly. The recruits and conva- 
lescents are pouring in by thousands, and we shall 
soon have a grand anny again, and then look out 
for the splinters. Johnny Reb must talk differ- 
231 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

ently or find his last ditch. The impression here 
seems to gain ground that the rebelhon is about 
played out, and that there will be but few more 
months of fighting. Within the past few days the 
City Point railroad has been extended several 
miles on our left, and where a few days since no 
signs of a track were visible, large trains are run- 
ning regularly. It is certainly very astonishing; 
but that is a way they have of doing business down 
here. 

Ten or twelve days since, our corps was ordered 
to the left of where we now are. Arrived there 
after dark, and halted on a flat open space with 
a fine pine wood on our left. In the morning the 
woods had almost entirely disappeared, and in our 
front a splendid line of breastworks had sprung 
up as if by magjc. Those who have never been 
in the business can have no correct conception of 
how quickly and how quietly an order is executed 
at the front. Our new railroad runs but a few 
rods in front of our camp, and it seems like old 
times to see the trains moving, and to hear the 
whistle and bell. This forenoon all the bands and 
drum corps of the division were ordered to re- 
port to division headquarters, which we did. Num- 
bering in all about one hundred and seventy-five, 
and under the leadership of Mr. Higgins, of the 
division band, played "Hail to the Chief," and 
"Hail, Columbia," after which the brass bands 
played the "Grand March from Belsaria," "Garry 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Owen," "Larry O'GafF" and "Yankee Doodle," 
and if there was any lack of harmony there cer- 
tainly was not of noise. We were then dismissed, 
with an invitation to repeat the thing at some 
future day. 

The weather here is delightful, the days warm 
and pleasant, and the nights cool enough to make 
blankets necessary. As fast as the new recruits 
arrive they are set to drilHng, and you can see 
them in all directions going through the different 
evolutions, and it will take but a short time to have 
the corps in fine trim for anything that soldiers 
can do, and so with the whole army. So you may 
look out for stirring news shortly. Speaking of 
news, reminds me of the many complaints of the 
boys. — They cannot get enough to read, and would 
bo very thankful for anything in the way of 
old books, magazines and papers, in fact 
anything which contains stories would be very 
acceptable, and a few books and magazines would 
afford reading for several hundred, and while away 
many a tedious hour. If it is not asking too much, 
won't some of the friends of the 2d Heavy do 
something for the boys.? They have not been 
paid off for the last six months, and many of them 
have not seen any money for a still longer time, 
and there is no telling when they will be paid, and 
there are few who have the means to purchase the 
Washington Chronicle, New York Herald, or Phil- 

233 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

adelphia Enquirer, which are brought to camp 
daily. 

President Lincoln visited the front a short time 
ago and rode along our lines accompanied by Gen- 
erals Grant and Meade. They were without any 
staff officers with them and only had three order- 
lies. The President wore a black tile that had 
seen much service and had on a long linen duster, 
and was an awkward looking man on his horse. 
But the boys love "Uncle Abe" as they call him 
and when the party passed us one of our boys 
enthusiasm got the best of him and he sang out 
"three cheers for honest Abe," and they were 
given in true army style. The President lifted 
his hat and looked mightily pleased. 

If Grant was like some of the new brigadiers 
he would have had about 25 staff officers and 
orderlies following him, but U. S. G. is not much 
on style. He keeps rigjit on sawing wood though 
all the same. 

"Old Spectacles" as Gen. Meade is called, is 
Grant's right bower, and is virtually the com- 
mander of the Army of the Potomac. Like Grant 
he is a silent man, too, although they do say 
that he makes the fur fly when things don't go to 
suit him. 

My chum is the cook to-day and has just called 

out "get ready for grub." We are to have an 

extra dish and you will laugh when I tell you the 

name. It is called "slumgullion" by the boys, and 

234 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

is made by pounding up hard tack which with 
chopped onions fried with salt pork makes an ap- 
petizing dish fit for a king. My chum has also set 
up a can of peaches which he paid the sutler 75 
cents for, so I will cut this short. 

THE FIGHTING REGIMENTS. 

Statistics are considered dry reading and the 
writer has not bothered the readers of his sketches 
with many, but they do tell th"e story better than 
pen or tongue. 

There were something over 2,000 regiments in 
the Union Army. Some never participated in a 
battle; others were constantly at th^e front. Per- 
haps they were no better fighters than those who 
were exempt from battle, but in war blood is what 
tells, therefore the casualty lists tell plainer than 
words whether a regiment was where the bullets 
were flying thick and fast or not. 

Col. Fox, the government statistician found that 
of the 2,000 there were 300 whose losses of killed 
and died of wounds were over 130, and he has 
called these the "300 fighting regiments." A con- 
servative estimate of the wounded is six to one, so 
the reader can easily figure out what the total 
casualties of these regiments probably were. 

There were about 50 regiments out of the 300 
"fighting regiments" that lost in killed or mor- 
tally wounded over 200. 

The regiment that heads the list, both in the 
235 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

total and percentage was the 1st Maine Heavy 
artillery. Their total was 423. Their loss at 
Spottsylvania was 82 killed and 394 wounded. A 
month later at Petersburg they made the assault 
with 900 muskets and their casualty list was 632. 
The New York regiment that suffered the great- 
est loss of killed was the old 69th, of the Irish 
brigade. Their total was 259. 

A LOSS NEVER EQUALED. 

In proportion to the number of men engaged, 
the greatest loss to any one regiment during the 
Civil War was that of the 1st Minnesota at Gettys- 
burg. Gren. Hancock was desirous of holding back 
a column of confederates until reinforcements 
could be brought against them and, turning to the 
colonel of the regiment, he ordered him to capture 
the enemy's colors. The command was obeyed liter- 
ally, and the enemy was forced back, leaving their 
banners in the hands of the Minnesotians. The 
regiment took into the jSght 262 officers and men. 
It lost 50 killed and 174 wounded and none miss- 
ing. Seventeen officers were killed and wounded. 
Here is a record that has not as yet been equalled 
in military statistics. Gen. Hancock said it was 
the most gallant deed of history. He knew the 
men must be sacrificed when he issued the order, 
but he needed five minutes time and would have 
ordered the regiment if he had known every man 
would have been killed. 

236 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Probably the most remarkable loss on either side 
during the Civil War was that of the 26th North 
Carolina at Gettysburg. They took into the fight 
820 men. Of this number 588 were killed and 
wounded the first day. The survivors went into 
the charge with Pickett the third day, and when 
the roll was called the next day but 80 men were 
present. All of the rest had been either killed or 
.\ounded. 

Another remarkable case was that of Duryea's 
Zouaves at Manassas, or Bull Run. Out of 490 
men who went into action it lost 79 killed, 170 
wounded and 48 missing; total 297. This is the 
regiment which closed up its ranks and "counted 
off" anew while exposed to a terrific fire. 

The following nine heavy artillery regiments 
lost over 200 killed and died of wounds. 

First Maine, 2d corps, 423 ; 8th New York, 2d 
corps, 361; 7th New York, 2d corps, 291; 2d 
Connecticut, 6th corps, 254, 1st Massachusetts, 
2d corps, 241, 2d Pennsylvania, 9th corps 233; 
14th New York 9th corps, 226; 2d New York, 2d 
corps 214; 9th New York, 6th corps, 204. 

Naturally the writer is proud of the fact that 
his old regiment stands high on the honor roll. 
The record of 214 killed in battle tells the story, 
plainer than words, that the 2d New York Heavy 
Artillery were where the bullets were flying thick 
and fast. 

237 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

BOUND FOR THE LAND OF FREEDOM. 

The negro contrabands that flocked to our lines 
during the closing days of the struggle furnished 
a great deal of amusement to the soldiers. In their 
hasty flight for freedom they picked up the very 
articles that were of little use to them, even to 
feather beds, boxes, cotton umbrellas, stovepipe 
hats and of course every musician his banjo. The 
girls wore huge hoop skirts which were then in 
vogue, and many had on flounced silk di'esses that 
had evidently been borrowed from "Missus' ward- 
robe." There was nothing these poor black people 
would not do for "Massa Lincum soldier men," 
whom they fairly worshiped. An old "Mammy" 
made my chum and I an old fashioned "hoecake" 
at high bridge, baking, it in a skillet which she 
buried in the coals of a campfire, and it was about 
the most toothsome morsel I ever ate. Goodness 
gracious ! what would I givie for the appetite and 
digestion of those days. 

PRAYER FOR THE C S. A. 

We entered a neat looking church one day, and 
one of the boys opened an Episcopal prayer book 
at the altar, and at the "Prayer for All in Author- 
ity," found that the words "the president of the 
United States" had been cut out, and, folded in 
the book, was a manuscript copy of prayers for 
the "Confederate States of America." 
238 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

RICHMOND AFTER THE EVACUATION. 

Those who have visited this beautiful Virginia 
city in recent years have no idea of the appearance 
of the place after it was evacuated by the Con- 
federates. Lee's message of April 2, telHng Jeffer- 
son Davis that "my lines are broken in three places, 
Richmond must be evacuated this evening," found 
Mr. Davis in church. He quietly withdrew, and 
the fate of the city was soon noised about the 
streets, which became filled with men, wagons and 
negroes carrying trunks and bundles of every de- 
scription. 

After the departure of President Davis and 
others of the Confederate government. Gen. Ewel] 
issued orders for the burning of the large ware- 
houses of the city, and thus a great conflagration 
was started that threatened to lay in ashes all of 
the business structures. 

The city council met and decided to destroy 
every drop of liquor in town, and at midnight 
committees of citizens visited every ward and rolled 
hundreds of barrels of whisky into the streets, and, 
knocking the heads out, the gutters were flooded. 
The shipping at the wharves was fired and pande- 
monium reigned complete for 24 hours. 

Th'e Union forces entered the city the next day 
and proceeded to restore order. 

A few days later the writer accompanied a party 
of officers to the city, going by way of City Point 

239 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

and up the James river by boat, past formidable 
forts and earthworks that had swarmed with Con- 
federate soldiers ten days before, now deserted. 
The cannon that had hardly cooled off for over 
nine months, were now silent. White tents that 
had sheltered the enemy stood as lonely sentinels 
for the "Lost Cause," 

There were many points of interest, such as the 
famous Howlett house battery, Butler's Dutch 
Gap canal; the Crow's Nest," a lookout station, 
Haxall's landing where the exchange of prisoners 
used to take place. The river was full of mines 
and torpedoes, and the thought that every minute 
might be our last was anything but pleasant. 

The defenses of the City of Richmond appeared 
to have been impregnable, if the confederates could 
have kept a sufficient force there to man them. 
Every eljevation about the city had a fort, and 
there were two lines of abatis and three separate 
lines of rifle pits and earthworks encircling the 
city. No attacking army can ever carry by di- 
rect assault a city so fortified, if the army within 
is anywhere equal in numbers to that on the outside 
and has supplies to subsist upon. It used to be 
reckoned that the troops that assaulted a fortified 
position must lose five or more men to one of those 
defending the works. 

LIBBY PRISON. 

The name of which was quite enough to give 
a Union soldier the cold chills, was filled with Con- 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

federates the day we were there. The blue and 
the gray had exchanged places. We being human, 
were much pleased to see the rebels peering out 
through the grated windows with the Union sen- 
tries pacing up and down around the building. 

The bridges leading out of the city had mostly 
been destroyed, also the great warehouses, the post- 
office, the treasury, the leading banks, and, in 
fact, the heart of the city had been burned out 
and the ruins were smo]|dering when we were there. 
Th« street where the treasury and war depart- 
ment had been was knee deep with official papers 
and records that had been thrown out. 

We wandered through the deserted State house, 
the capitol of the confederacy, and the writer has 
a piece of the upholstering taken from the chair 
that was presented to the speaker of the Confed- 
erate congress by Eng;lish sympathizers. 

The home of Jefferson Davis was used as the 
headquarters of Gen. Weitzel, who commanded the 
forces that entered the city after its evacuation. 

President Lincoln, who was at City Point dur- 
ing Grant's final operations against Lee, went up 
to Richmond the next day after the city fell and 
held a levee in the house that had been occupied 
by Jeff Davis two days before. Thousands of 
black people crowded the streets to welcome and 
bless their emancipator, and it became necessary 
to use military force to clear the streets so that 
Lincoln could pass. His personal safety was feared 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

for when he proposed the visit, but no insult was 
offered him, and two days later he repeated his 
visit, accompanied by Mrs. Lincoln, several United 
States senators and Vice-President Johnson. 
Eight days later he was assassinated in Washing- 
ton, and the South lost the best friend they could 
have had in the pacification and reconstruction days 
that were to come, for the heart of the great Lin- 
coln was free from all bitterness and resentment 
towards liis erring brothers, 

bill's last fight. 

William Slater and Eber Ponto were among the 
best soldiers of our company. Neither had ever 
shirked a duty and, having kept step side by side 
for three years, were the closest of comrades- In 
fact, I believe either would have walked into the 
jaws of death for the other. 

Ponto lived to see the end of the war and came 
home wearing a sergeant's chevrons, while Slater 
was left sleeping on a hillside at Petersburg. 

Ponto was a Frenchman and in after years, at 
a reunion of the regiment, he told us the circum- 
stances of Bill's death in about the following words : 

"Remember dat charge at Petersburg, boys? 
'Twas a beeg fight, I'll; never forget dat nighb 
when we wer' lyin' behind dat stone wall waitin' 
for momin' to come." 

"I don't lak dat waitin' round' for a fight. Ze 
Frenchman he lak de word an' de blow together. 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"Well, Bill and I were smokin' our laurel root 
pipes and I notis Bill wer' keepin' migjity quiet 
liak he doin' a heap of thinkin' — of course he never 
say much, tain't his way. Fin'ly he look up an he 
say, Ebe, ole' boy, dere goin' to be a hot time in 
ze mornin' an' 'twill be my las' fight." 

"I say 'pshaw, Billee boy, guess you bin soke 
up too much dat air Chickahominy malaria over 
at Cole Harbor las' week' — cause you know boys 
when you git dat in your bones it mak' everything 
look blue even to your finger nails. 

"Bill he say, 'no, I'm all right, but something 
tell me dat if you're alive tomorrow night you'll 
be smokin' alone." 

"Then I say to Bill, 'You just lay low in de 
mornin' an' I'll tell them you'r sick an' get you 
excuse from dis scrap.' An' Bill he say, 'Ebe, you 
never knew me to 'flunk' did you ? Well, I'm not go- 
in' to do it now. Where you an' old Co. H go I'm 
goin', but promis' me, Ebe, that you'll keep close 
to me and if I'm killed I want you to take my 
watch an' always carry it,' an' I promis', an' we 
shake hands for I lak Bill and he lak me. 

"Well ze next mornin' Col. Whistler he led us 
up thro' dat peech orchard; remiember dat, boys.' 
Bill and I we touch elbows and say nuthin'. Dem 
minies go, zip ! zip ! pretty fas'. I get excited an' 
all at once I don't feel Bill's elbow touchin' mine. 
I look roun' an' I stee him lyin' on his face. I 
turn him over an' there's a red spot on his forc- 
343 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

head. I unbutton his shirt an' feel for his heart ; 
it was stop, an' mine beat lak a beeg bass drum. 
I take this watch you see. I close his eyes. I 
press my lips to his, an' cov^er him with my blan- 
ket, an' that was the las' of poor Bill." 

THE COLONEL AND THE PENSION AGENT. 

A man whom we will call Jarvis Jenkins was a 
member of the same company and regiment as the 
writer. He served his country well, was wounded 
in battle and for nearly 25 years has been trying 
to establish his claim to a pension, but, living in 
the far west away from all of his old comrades, it 
has been a hard matter for him to get the testi- 
mony to satisfy the department. 

One day, some months since there walked into 
my place of business a gentleman who announced 
himself a special agent of the pension department, 
and, after asking my name, age, and if I was 
the identical person who served as drummer boy 
in such a company and regiment during the Civil 
war, the answer being in the affirmative, he then 
desired to know if I recalled one Jarvis Jenkins, 
and, if so, could I tell of any particular thing that 
happened to him. Y'es, he received a scalp wound 
in one of the assaults at Petersburg. This did not 
seem to be the information wanted, for sometimes 
it would seem that the affairs of the pension office 
are administered somewhat after the manner of the 
"circumlocution office" described by Charles 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Dickens in the charming book of "Little Dorrit." 
So another tack was taken and the following ques- 
tion propounded: "Did you while at Fort Hag- 
gerty, Va., own a revolver?" I admitted that I 
had once in my life, and only once been the proud 
possessor of a deadly weapon. Could I tell what 
became of it? 

Answer: "Traded with 'Lige' Moyer, our com- 
pany cook, for a watch, and paid him in boot 
more than the watch was worth." 

"Now, sir, can it be that you are mistaken and 
is it not possible that you loaned your revolver to 
Jarvis Jenkins to hunt rabbits with and that it 
exploded in his hand, lacerating his fingers badly ?" 

Answer: "No, sir." 

"Then," said the government agent, "I must 
look up another drummer boy of the 2d New York, 
for it is certain that some one loaned him a revolver 
which exploded as stated." 

The special agent was a pleasant fellow, and as 
we smoked a couple of cigars he showed me a great 
mass of testimony that had been taken in the case 
and said that he had traveled more than 1,000 
miles to interview members of the regiment. "By 
the way," he said, "I am going to read you ex- 
tracts from the testimony of your old lieutenant 
colonel which I took down in shorthand." 

As near as I remember it ran something; like 
this : "I believe you are Col, Hulser who com- 
2*5 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

manded the 2d New York in the last months of its 
service?" 

Answer: "The samie." 

"What was your previous rank, colonel?" 

"Major, captain and lieutenant." 

"Can you give me the dates of your promo- 
tions?" 

"No." 

"Were you in command of a certain fort in 
Virginia in 1862?" 

"I was." 

"Do you remember of a man being injured on 
one of the heavy guns in the fort?" 

"No." 

"Do you remember a soldier by the name of 
Jarvis Jenkins?" 

"No." 

"Now, colonel, look at this paper and tell me if 
that is your signature." 

"Well, I should say it was." 

"Now, colonel, will you oblige me by reading 
the statement you signed many years ago and then 
tell me how you reconcile that statement with the 
one you just made to me?" 

The colonel was something of a rough diamond 
but the soul of honor. He was sturdy, honest and 
blunt. A man who called a spade a spade. He 
disliked subterfuge or deceit. A fighter from way 
back, and I can imagine something of the indig- 
M6 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

nation he felt when he got up out of his chair to 
make reply. 

"Say, young man, I'm no highwayman or per- 
jurer. I was fighting my country's battles when 
you was nursing a bottle. The lapse of time, and 
my infirmities, the result of wounds and hardships, 
do not permit me to remember the names, the color 
of hair and eyes of several thousand men who were 
on the rolls of my regiment nearly 40 years ago, 
but I will have you to understand, sir, that I am 
no less a gentleman than a soldier and whatever 
I have put my name to you can bet your bottom 
dollar is God's truth, every word of it, and if you 
dare to stand up before me and intimate other- 
wise, damn me if I won't knock you down in a 
jiffy and walk all over you." 

The government special laughed as he read the 
interview and roliling the papers up put them in 
his grip as he remarked: "Say, I rather liked the 
old veteran after all." 

THE COMPANY COOK. 

One of the most important personages of a 
company was the cook. Even the officers stood 
in awe of him. What if he did boil his shirts and 
greasy trousers in the kettle in which he cooked 
our food, made soup, tea and coffee. 

As a result the flavor was som'ewhat mixed at 
times, but no one dared to remonstrate with the 
"son of a sea cook," for the one that provoked his 
247 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

displeasure was sure to suffer in some way. If 
they punished those whom they disliked they be- 
stowed many favors upon those whom they hap- 
pened to take a liking to. The writer always stood 
in well with "Uncle" Hawley, our first cook, who 
was taken prisoner at Bull Run, and "Lige" 
Moyer, who succeeded him- Hawley was an elocu- 
tionist of no mean ability. "Lige" used to while 
away his spare moments with a fiddlle. 

STOEY OF THE MUSTER ROLL. 

Spread out before me is a copy of the muster- 
out roll of Co. H, 2d New York heavy artillery, or- 
ganized at Carthage, N. Y., Oct. 14, 1861, mus- 
tered into United States service at Staten Island, 
Oct. 18, 1861, and disbanded at Hart's Island, 
New York harbor, Oct. 10, 1865. 

When a regiment was mustered out of service 
each company was required to hand in a muster- 
out roll bearing the names of every man who had 
served in the organization and the particulars of 
his service were written opposite the name. 

The names wtere grouped under various headings 
of: "Present at Muster-out," "Previously Dis- 
charged," "Transferred," "Deserted," "Killed in 
Action," "Died of Wounds," "Died of Disease," 
etc., etc. 

Almost anybody would be interested in looking 
over an old muster-out roll, but to the man who 
was a part of the organization, who knew its his- 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

tory from beginning to end and can read between 
the lines, so to speak, the story told is doubly in- 
teresting and in many respects a sad one. Such 
a reader is carried back to the war and is enabled 
to vividly recall its thrilling scenes. 

He knows who were the best soldiers, who stood 
in the front rank, who led in the assaults. Like- 
wise he knows who were the skulkers and cowards, 
for it was an impossibility for a soldier to hide 
his weaknesses from his comrades. 

In scanning the remarks opposite of the names 
one is brought face to face with the past as in 
no other way. For instance: "Lieiut. William 
H. Roff, wounded in a charge at Cold Harbor, 
June 6, 1864, leg amputated, died." "Lieut. John 
Clapsaddle, disabled by wounds at Petersburg and 
discharged." Another reminder of the desperate 
fighting at Coid Harbor is the name of an old 
schoolmate, "Henry C. Potter," "wounded June 
6," "died Aug. 2, 1864." Under the group of 
"killed in action, I read "Roscoe Williamson, 
killed at CoM Harbor, June 6," and I recall a 
bright, rosy cheeked young fellow that was a great 
favorite. 

"George H. Ormiston, taken prisoner at Reams 
Station, Aug. 25, 1864 ; died en route north April 
9, 1865." And one shudders as he thinks of the 
thousands that were literally starved to death in 
Andersonville and other southern prison pens. 

"Second Lieut. O. T. Bliss promoted to first 
249 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

lieutenant and transferred to Co. F," recall's one 
of the bravest of the brave who enlisted as a 
bugler, exchanged his trumpet for a gun at Bull 
Run, was captured and later passed through all 
the various grades of rank from corporal to brevet 
major. 

"Sergt. Franklin B. Farr, mortally wounded at 
Round Fort, Va., April 7, 1865," only two days 
before the surrender of Lee, and one thinks how sad 
to fall in the last battle of the war with victory 
and home in sight. 

"John Satterly, wounded at Cold Harbor, June 
3, 1864," and I see long John with his peculiar 
hook-shaped nose which caused one of the boys 
who was waggiishly inclined to suggest that he 
could make big money picking cherries as he could 
hang to a limb with his nose and gather the fruit 
in with both hands. Ever after that John was 
called "Cherry Picker." 

I pause at the name of "Edwin Smith, mortally 
wounded at Petersburg, June 16, 1864," and I 
recall what he said when being carried to the rear. 
"Hold on, boys, don't carry me off without my 
grub." Our regiment was lying behind a stone 
wall supporting a battery that was firing over our 
heads. Rations had been brought up to us that 
morning and "Ed" was eating when wounded, and 
the stretcher bearers were carrying him off with- 
out his haversack. He never made a murmur 
250 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

about his wound but did not want to lose his ra- 
tions. He was a son of a Watertown tailor and 
was one of the youngest and smallest boys of our 
company that carried a musket. There were a 
number under 18 years of age In the compan}' 
and they were called the "ponies," but they could 
outmarch most of the large heavy men. The 
"ponies" made up in grit and enthusiasm what 
they lacked in size. 

"Patrick Devereaux, veteran" and I hear the 
rollicking laugh of as galiant an Irish 
soldier as ever carried a gun, whose ready wit and 
cheery disposition made him to Co. H what 
Dickens' "Mark Tapley" was to "Martin Chuzzle- 
wit." 

It was Patsy who made Major "Quicker nor 
that" mark time for him, and Pat who, when our 
regiment, with fixed bayonets was lying behind 
the stone wall at Spottsylvania waiting for Ewell's 
charge, broke the awful stillness of those few 
minutes, that seemed like hours, by remarking: 
"Boys, wouldn't a little 'commissary' taste good 
about now.? 

He was the "Mulvany" of our company and 
a prime favorite with everbody. "Halt who goes 
there !" was never spoken by a better soldier than 
Patrick Devereaux of the 2nd Heavy. 

The following letter from my old comrade is 
characteristic of the man : 
251 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 
pat's letter. 

Troy, N. Y., April 6, 1904. 

"Me Little Boy in Blue :" 

I see by the papers wliich somebody has been 
sendin' me that our little 'Sheepskin beater' of com- 
pany H has trun down his drum sticks an tuk up 
a pen an' is riting' war stories. I've beam tell 
that the 'pen is mightier that the sword' which 
was probably true of the 'toad-stabbers' carried 
by the drummer boys durin' the war. But say, 
youse lads were great wid the drum sticks, and 
would make a divil of a racket in the mornin' whin 
a fellah wanted to slape. 

Many's the time whin lyin' so comfortable wid 
me rubber poncho betwix me an' the sod, an' 
dreamin' of me darlin' an' dear ould Ireland, hev 
you disturbed me sllumbers wid your batin' of 
the reveille, and I've bin that mad I cud have kick- 
ed you an' your drum into the middle of nex' week. 
But whin youse kids led us out on a p'rade to the 
chune of 'Rory O'More' it was like goin' to a 
Donnybrook fair so aisy was the marchin' behind 
the drum corps of the Second Heavy. If ould 
Pat does say it you were a foine lot of youngsters, 
and whin it came to drummin' youse cud give odds 
to any drum corps in the 1st division. Say me 
boy, them were great days, weren't they.'' You 
were but a small kid but I suppose are growin' 
grey wid the rest of the ould boys. 
252 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

Your riferlnce to me tilt wid Major Roach, who 
was forever yellin' out 'Quicker nor that,' brings 
those days back to me mind, an' it does not s«em 
40 years ago. Roach an' som'e of the other officers 
we had on the go-in were a quare gang. But that 
Colonel Whistler from the regulars was all right. 
Wasn't he? Jermiah N, G. was a peach an* he made 
a good regiment out of us, an' the Second Heavy 
made a brigadier out of him by the way they wint 
for them Jonnies the 16th of June at Petersburg. 
Say, me blood runs hot whin I think of the mornin' 
in the peach orchard whin Whistler led us in that 
charge. 

"Dan, me oldest son, wint to the Spanish war 
and it makes me Ilaf to hear him tell about the 
hardships at Tampa and the charge of San Wan.' 
One evenin' he was entertainin' some of his friends 
wid riminescences and one of the young ladies said 
she thought it an outrage for the government to 
send them home from the war in common every-day 
coaches. 'Palace cars were none too good for the 
soldier boys.' I agreed with her, but said I remem- 
ber thet our regiment who saw four years' service 
were sint home in box cars with divil a seat or whisp 
of straw to lie on. I tell Dan that if he had foFowed 
Gen. Hancock's oM battle flag with the ace of 
clubs on it, from Bull Run to Appomattox, stop- 
ping occasionally to take a hand in skirmishes like 
Antietam, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Spottsyl- 
vania, Petersburg, Reams Station, Five Forks and 
?53 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

a few other small affairs, he would know more 
about war. 

The boys were all right though. The trouble 
in the last war, was, that there was not enough 
of it to go around. 

"By the way I think you galloped over the 
Appomattox campaign a little too lively. It wag 
short and none too sweet, but there was a good 
bit doin' in them ten days, and it seems to me you 
could have given a few more particulars with- 
out wearying your readers. 

The prisint genG(ration who are wadin' knee 
deep in clover won't be hurt by being reminded of 
what the old vets suffered for them. 

I remember onct that our liftenant Tom Waters 
said that whin I got to talking I did not know 
whin to stop and I guess you'll think it's the same 
wid me letter rittin,' so here's to you and yours. 
Keep a stiff upper Mp. Never show the white flag. 
Yours for the Union. 

P. DEVEREAUX. 

MY CAPTAIN. 

"Capt. Charles L. Smith, prostrated by sun- 
stroke near Cold Harbor." brings to mind the 
long, weary marches of that summer under broil- 
ing sun; the choking clouds of dust; the intense 
thirst; the scanty rations and consequent weak- 
ness which caused countless numbers to fall by the 
roadside. The name also stirs tender memories 
354 




Capt. C. L. Smith 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

of a kind hearted officer, a gentleman and sold- 
ier — "My Captain," who was ever gentle with and 
considerate for the welfare of the litt'ie lad whom 
he took with him to a real war. 

"Peace be to Iiis ashes ! 

Soldier, rest ! Thy warfare o'er, 
Sleep the sleep that knows no breaking; 

Dream of battlefields no more. 
Days of danger, nights of waking — 

We would not forget our dead." 

In closing my memories of the war I am gping 
to give an extract from an old letter written by 
my captain, who several years since went to join 
those of his command who had been smnmoned 
by the Great Captain of All. 

"Nov. 8, 1883." 
"My Dear Boy: Your welcome ktter of the 
14th ult. at hand, and was most happy to learn 
over your own signature that you had not in the 
long years that have intervened forgotten me. 
Your old captain still lives, daily praying for and 
remembering the least under his command. 

"Oh, that I could see them pass in review as 
I did many a time in those stirring days- Many 
years have passed since and probably not one in 
50 would I recognize, still I remember them all, 
living or dead, who went with me to the great war. 
"God knows my affection goes out to you all 
and I am not ashamed to say that my eyes fill 
with tears as I write." 

255 



Drum Taps in Dixie. 

"My great regret is that I could not return 
every man and boy to their homes. But I could 
not. You remember I said I had no cowards in old 
Co. H. They were a brave, intelligent lot of men 
who obeyed orders, endured hardships and faced 
the guns of the enemy unflinchingly." 

"I recall you as but a child going with me to 
a real war where you were to spend years of your 
young life with your littlle drum. But my dear 
boy, it did good service, real genuine war service. 

"I remember you were the first drummer boy 
the 2d New York had, and I am proud to know 
that my own little drummer boy marched at the 
head of the regiment in every campaign down to 
Appomattox and beat the last tattoo for the regi- 
ment at Hart's Island, New York Harbor, after 
nearly four years of service. 

"God bless you, how could I be other that proud 
of my little drummer boy.?" 



FINIS. 



256 



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